START 


MASTER 
NEGATIVE 

NO .  91  -8002  7 


MICROFILMED  1991 
COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARIES/NEW  YORK 


as  part  of  the 
Foundations  of  Western  Civilization  Preservation  Project" 


Funded  by  the 
NATIONAL  ENDOWMENT  FOR  THE  HUMANITIES 


Reproductions  may  not  be  made  without  permission  from 

Columbia  University  Library 


COPYRIGHT  STATEMENT 


The  copyright  law  of  the  United  States  —  Title  17,  United 
States  Code  —  concerns  the  making  of  photocopies  or  other 
reproductions  of  copyrighted  material... 

Columbia  University  Library  reserves  the  right  to  refuse  to 
accept  a  copy  order  if,  in  its  judgement,  fulfillment  of  the  order 
would  involve  violation  of  the  copyright  law. 


AUTHOR: 


GREENER,  WILLIAM 


TITLE: 


THE  STORY  OF 
MOSCOW 

PLACE: 

LONDON 

DA  TE : 

1900 


COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARIES 
PRESERVATION  DEPARTMENT 


Master  Negative  # 

91-80027-1 


BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MICROFORM  TARGET 


Original  Material  as  Filmed  -  Existing  Bibliographic  Record 


Restrictions  on  Use: 


tr-*^ 


r947n05 

"G83 


ifPiipfW"  J' 


"^TWrWMff^ 


'n--  >  A,v^  ;a»'  y\w.;^^^^w.ftiicr*».-^ '  '■'>•  -^-:4'^  H'  ^'';^5j^; 


^Greener,  William  OHver]  1862- 

The  story  of  Moscow,  by  Wirt  Gerrare  ipseud.]  illus- 
trated by  Helen  M.  James.  London,  J.  M.  Dent  &  co., 
1900. 

xii,  315,  rl)  p.  incl.  illus.,  plates,  front.,  2  plans  (1  fold.)  17i"".  (On 
cover:  Mediaeval  towns) 

D947M85   Copy  in  Barnard  College  Library,   1910»  ^Sd  od,  3 

G86  I 


i 


1.  Moscow — Descr.    2.  Moscow — IJist. 


Library  of  Congress 


( 


)  DK601.G81 
is2Seli 


1-^101 


TECHNICAL  MICROFORM  DATA 

FILM     SIZE:35_Q)_O0.^-.^_  REDUCTION     RATIO:_J_L 

IMAGE  PLACEMENT: ,  lA  MIA3  IB    IIB  ^  ^ 

DATE     FILMED:  M  '  I  <;  /  '7  I INITIALS  I'  • 


HLMEDBY:    RESEARCH  PUBLICATIONS.  INC  WOODBRIDGE.  CT 


c 


Association  for  Information  and  Image  Management 

1 1 00  Wayne  Avenue,  Suite  1 1 00 
Silver  Spring.  Maryland  20910 

301/587-8202 


Centimeter 

1         2        3 

L 


III! 


iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiii 


rrrrj 


Inches 


Uu 


TTT 


1 


lllllllllll 


III 


TTT 


6         7         8         9        10       11        12       13       14       15    mm 

iiilniiliiiiliiiil|iiiliiiiliiiilMi|lMiiliiiiliiiiliiiH 


.0 


I.I 


1.25 


TTT 


JTTTJ 


i^ 

2.8 

2.5 

|5£ 

=       11111^= 

1^      ll 

3.2 

2.2 

■  63 

3.6 

US      1 

4.0 

2.0 

I& 

«i     u 

Kl&u 

1.8 

1.4 

1.6 

I 


MRNUFRCTURED   TO   fillM   STfiNDPRDS 
BY   fiPPLIED   IMRGE.     INC. 


:t:-  -i-'P 


'ir 


^*^ 


^ 


w 


it-  y 

r'M'n:':' 

ii 

^f^i-:^ 

% 

i 

■m 

*m 

1 

SKT^ 

^ 

•(K: 

ri-S.  rrrr-i'S^ 


3!  ::  .^■;:  iTr  "=• 


n??!SSSR 

^- ~  i-'i-- 

§€-";^:f!f.H; 

*  ,•  T 

r.-r-  -.Jv-nij^' 

ia"- . 

--ri? 


"  *t.  ^;r..'t'^-^' 

i.?-tiTx;L 

-•-'"■'^' 

'If-^-^ 

*'#* 

u^ck 

■-■■'a--:" 

\  '-i-i « 

-  :ji  j;»  • 

V-TT-. 

■■••  ^§'\  * 

•-■'^Ai: 

jllg 

•S:L::, 


:;r  :■:.*  •.•:i;a. 


t  U-H.-^* 


?*;'?*■" 


« 


.<ttf.' 


t--4-:r-.{;^  -:;&;■ 


-r^.^.i 


=3-11^ 


;•*-" 


\3  i  ' 


.•:i»r:?d.-i!; 


-■r  n-  f?i5^ 


*4  .jtuux    — 1-a:.. 


-;!-?,;,■ 


'■■■&■ 


y-t-'^ii- 


-.•f...i-:ui.'.-_:frH=. 


%-=tr:: 


"  -^  •  t, 

r*.  .  — 

iifi' 

r   •    ■ 

■tj 

51' 

■""If 

-.  i 

'S 

■^T:'- 

.-- 

T^-v" 

:-   ■■  *. 

^-T" 

""£' 

;,&. 

m 

■■■!?••■ 


-t-rr;  rotusip 


n.  V-:  a-u  V— -«'- 


r.-r  .x:::  ■::,-:-., 


*I?^-l;;i::;^i?^f^i5i*i''^-:- 

^^l'  :pi,:li.i-,'5;  *;r^,-:  ;.#  ■;:■  ^ 

--■■::  :  :•■  ..X.rr.    t-  _--.r;-t.:;-3_.-,  S  r  .-.■  j   • 

SIM';!:"^ '-Jll^-r^-r 

"" 

?j:y:|^l:;i^i^|l^|_'|^-^:- 

-/"^  ~-nr 

•]^      tUf        T, 

^-jI'I: 

,  i   ,•  . 

"-■«■*!*"     t— ti   1^.1 

;:t.-. 

rS\-:-::tI?g^; 

r.t.  :  - 

i'.V  " 

Ttr-V" 

fj'" 

-.,;.  ::..        ..  ...-..-.•-•    -.,:.. 

i  ''-;-;;:?'f  :q  ^t^fiV^I-iji  j'';=k!|^ 

.'r^? 

■  ;    •■     .                     ''; !  *i  .*.  •'  "-' 

"■*  i. 

tt;  r.3-:rt^;=tj:j.3  •:■!•..  ■ 

'$lff^^^^m-^'^: 

'/^ 

!-:?■' 

.  ..  -t  ;  i: 

i— ^;x: 

'"■— i   '-.I' .    ^.trt"* 

ir^-i  - 

■iL!^r.:-r'£"^-?-rV 

•.aaM..nti 

.  3-  .    lis    <  ■ 

;.4y;|^'£. 

'*r '"  *^  ^r^^^^^-^w^-^siy  !"•£ :  ■■ 

'."' 

'aiD<Vi4oa^' 


6..-.     IL:'_ 


<?y>/ 


Columbia  ®nibergitp 


LIBRARY 


From  the  LIhnry  of 
Anna  A.  Johnston 


,r 


j 


•  • 


All  rights  resernfed 


-waM 


u. 


t>//     f 


/ 


V/4-  .y^'/,,  // 


^    //  ^y/  //    fj 


//.;./. 


>  ////  > 


The  Story  of  MoSCOW 
by  Wirt  Gerrare  Illus- 
trated by  Helen  M.  y antes 


London :  J.  M.  Ueut  ^  Co, 
Aldine  House ^  29  and  30  Bedford  Street 
Covent  Garden,  W.C.       ^  ^      1900 


Fron  tho  Library  of 


A : : 


\  T 


)iinstoii 


'MAY  17  1926 


^ 

^ 


PREFACE 

p  EADERS  of  the  modern  histories  of  Russia  may 
wonder  by  what  right  Moscow  is  included  among 
MEDIEVAL  TOWNS,  for  it  is  the  fashion  of  recent  writers  to 
ignore  the  history  of  the  mighty  Euro- Asian  empire 
prior  to  the  eighteenth  century  "and  the  reign  of  Peter 
the  Great.  It  is  at  that  period  this  story  of  the  old 
Muscovite  capital  ends.  To  many,  then,  this  account 
of  the  town  and  its  vicissitudes  during  the  preceding 
five  centuries  may  have  the  charm  of  novelty  ;  per- 
chance to  others,  who  have  wrongly  concluded  that  the 
old  buildings  were  all  destroyed  during  Napoleon's 
invasion,  the  few  typical  antiquities  chosen  for  illustra- 
tion out  of  many  like,  will  attract  to  a  closer  acquaintance 
with  memorials  of  a  past  that  was  but  little  influenced 
by  the  art  of  the  west. 

Moscow,  where  the  east  merges  with  the  west  but 
remains  distinct  and  unconquered,  has  a  fascination  all 
its  own  ;  the  town  not  only  has  been  great,  but  is  so  yet ; 
its  influence  pervades  the  Russian  empire  and  is  still 
mutable  and  active ;  its  story  therefore  comprises  more 
than  the  legends  and  associations  of  an  ordinary  city, 
but,  if  confined  merely  to  an  enumeration  of  the  facts 
and  traditions  of  the  past  will  not  be  void  of  interest, 
and  however  fully  given,  must  fall  far  short  of  what  the 
imaginative    reader    may    reasonably  expect.     Of  the 


Preface 


meagre  character  of  this  present  account  I  am  fully 
aware  ;  of  its  positive  errors  I  am,  at  present,  unhappily 
ignorant,  but  I  trust  that  those  who  discover  mistakes 
will  not  only  forgive,  but  notify  me  of  them,  that  later 
readers  may  be  as  grateful  for  the  favour  as  I  myself 
shall  be.  Of  place  names  I  have  given  the  idiomatic, 
instead  of  the  usual  literal  translation ;  where  I  have 
attempted  an  equivalent  reproduction  of  the  original  the 
transliteration  will  be  comprehensible  to  those  who  know 
nothing  of  either  French  or  German.  That  I  may  not 
be  charged  with  inconsistency  in  this,  I  may  explain  that 
where  a  foreign  spelling — as  rouble — has  become  familiar 
I  have  used  the  Anglicism.  To  most  readers  the  names 
will,  I  fear,  be  unpronounceable  however  spelled  ;  but 
only  the  expert  will  regret  that  I  have  not  given  the 
original  Russian.  To  them  the  excuse  I  offer  is,  that 
to  everyone  ignorant  of  the  tongue  Russian  names  are 
absolutely  undecipherable,  being  apparently  composed 
of  an  alphabet  in  spasms  made  up  into  words  of  poly- 
syllabic length. 

It  is  difficult  for  one  not  of  the  Eastern  Church  to 
write  justly  of  Russian  Ecclesiasticism  ;  an  alien,  how- 
ever carefully  he  may  observe,  is  liable  to  obtain  faulty 
impressions  and  make  erroneous  deductions ;  so  to  me 
any  criticism  seems  an  impertinence.  I  have  tried  to 
present  its  artistic  phases  fairly,  but  am  conscious  that 
the  ninth  chapter  is  the  least  satisfactory  of  all  that  I 
have  written. 

For  the  rest,  my  task  has  been  easy  :   I  have  had  but 
to  examine,  compare,  and  judge  the  work  of  others  and 
from  their  stored  treasures  make  my  selection.     I  have 
vi 


Preface 

produced  little  that  is  really  original :  others  have  delved 
amid  ruins  for  vestiges  of  the  earlier  Moscow  ;  have 
unearthed    ancient    monuments;    transcribed    illegible 
manuscripts  ;  ransacked  archives,  measured  walls,  calcu- 
lated heights,  weighed  bells  and  counted  steps  ;  formed 
theories  and  found  evidence  to  support  them  ;  so  have 
rendered  my  labour  light  and  pleasant.     I  regret  that 
I,  who  at  best  am  but  an  intelligible  interpreter,  cannot 
acknowledge  more  particularly  the  hundred  and  more 
authorities  from   whom   I    have  drawn  ;  in   the   same 
inadequate,  general  fashion  I  must  thank  many  friends, 
English  and  Russian,  for  the  kindly  interest  they  have 
taken  in  the  work  and  the  intelligent  assistance  they 
have  rendered  me  in  its  compilation.     For  direction  to 
valuable  sources  of  information,  and  other  services,  I 
am  conscious  of  particular  indebtedness  to  the  Rev.  F. 
Wyberg,  of  the  English  Church,  Moscow,  and  to  Mr  V. 
E.  Marsden,  the  correspondent  of  the  Standard  there 
—either  of  whom  might  have  written  a  much  better 
book  about  the  town  they  know  so  well.     The  object 
of  this  volume  I  shall  consider  to  be  achieved  if  its 
perusal  gives  to  anyone  pleasure  equal  to  that  its  compila- 
tion has  brought  me ;  or  awakens  even  a  few  readers 
to  a  greater  interest  in  Moscow,  and  a  better  under- 
standing of  the  Russian  people. 

WIRT  GERRARE. 


Vll 


Tbi,  KaKT.  MV'ieHHKi,,  ropi.!a, 

l)t.ioKaMeiiHafl! 
11  piha  B7,  Teoii  KHni.ia, 

BypiioiuaMeiiHafl! 
II  1I04T.  nenjOxMT,  tw  jcHiaja, 

IIojOHeHHOK)  ! 

II  H3T.  nen.ia  ti,i  Boaciaja, 

HeHSMtllHOK)  ! 

IIpoqBfo'iii  jKe  ciaBoii  Bt'inoii, 
ropo4T,  xpaMOBT,  H  naiaiT, ! 
rpa^-fc  cpe4HHnbiii,  rpa4i3  cep^eHObiii, 
KopeHHOii  Pocciii  rpa^i! 

e.  rjuHKA. 

IVhlte-walled  and  golderi'headedy 

Beautiful^  bizarre. 
The  pride  of  all  the  millions 

Ruled  by  the  Russian  Tsar  : 
The  cradle  of  an  Empire, 

Shrine  of  a  great  race. 
With  Europe*  s  noblest  cities 

Moscow  holds  its  place  ! 

V,  E.  M. 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER    I 
Introduction — PrC"  Muscovite  Russia 

CHAPTER    U 
Origin  and  Early  History 

CHAPTER    HI 
Moscoiv  under  the  Mongols    . 

CHAPTER    IV 


Moscoiv  of  the  Princes  . 


•  • 


CHAPTER    V 


liian  the  Terrible 


CHAPTER    VI 
The  Troublous  Times 

CHAPTER    VII 

Moscoiv  of  the  Tsars    . 


PAGE 

I 


1 1 


21 


37 


•  • 


47 


8o 


1 1 1 
ix 


Contents 


CHAPTER    VIII 

HAGF. 

The  Kremlhi          .... 

• 

147 

CHAPTER    IX 

Moscoiv  of  the  Ecclesiastics    . 

• 

172 

CHAPTER    X 
Moscoiv  of  the  Citizens 

CHAPTER    XI 
^Indent  Customs  and  Quaint  Survivals 

CHAPTER    XII 
The  Convents  and  Monasteries 

CHAPTER    XIII 
Moscoiv  of  the  English 

CHAPTER    XIV 
The  French  Invasion — and  after 

CHAPTER    XV 
Itinerary  and  Miscellaneous  Information 


Indi 


ex 


206 


227 


253 


270 


284 


303 


309 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


PAGE 


The    Firgin   of   Vladimir    [Vladimirski   Bogei- 

materi)  by  St  Luke         .  .  •      Frontispiece 

The  Kremlin 

Danilovski  Monastery  . 

Spass  na  Boru     . 

Ilyinka  Gate  of  the  Kitai  Gorod 

Doorivay  of  St  La%arus 

Alarm  Bell  Tower 

Vasili  Blajenni     . 

The  Terem — A  Corridor 

Church  of  the  Assumption 

Dom  Romanovykh 

Belvedere  of  the  Terem  . 

Krutitski  Vorot    . 

Krasnce  Kriltso    . 

Throne  Room  of  the  Terem 

Vosshresenski  Vorot  and  Iberian  Chapel 

Kremlin — IV all  and  Tower    . 

Terem  and  Belvedere  of  the  Potieshni  Dvorets 

Church  of  Our  Saviour  behind  the  Golden  Gates 

Potieshni  Dvorets,  or  Pleasure  Palace      . 


13 

17 
29 

39 

45 

5« 
67 

83 
89 

108 

117 
122 
126 

»35 

143 
148 

1 54 
161 
167 


XI 


Illustrations 


Church  of  the  Nativity  {Rojdestva  V-Put'inkakh) 

Uspensh'i  Sobor — The  Ikonostas 

Cathedral  of  the  Annunciation  (  Blagovieshchensk 
Sobor)  .... 

Church  and  Gate  of  Mary  of  Vladimir 

Srietenka — The  Sukharev  Bashnia  . 

St  Nicholas  «  Stylite  "  . 

Dom  Chukina      .... 

Krestovia  in  the  Romanof  House 

Farvarka  Vorot  of  the  Kitai  Gorod 

A  Chastok  ( Watch  Toiver)    . 

Petrovski  Monastery     . 

Simonov  Monastery 

Novo  Devichi  Convent . 

Spasski  Foroty  Tower  over  the  Redeemer  Gate 

Borovitski  Gate  and  St  Saviour  s  Cathedral 

Plan  of  the  Kremlin       ....  face 

Map  of  Moscotu .... 


>» 


J'AGE 

i8i 
1 86 

'93 

204 

208 
218 

223 
229 

23« 
245 

250 

261 

267 

279 

299 

125 

308 


Moscow 


-♦♦- 


CHAPTER  I 


XII 


Introduction — Pre-Muscovite  Russia 

*'  Cimmerii  a  Scythis  nomadibus  ejecti."— Herodotus. 

THE  medisEval  pilgrim  to  Moscow,  getting  his  first 
glimpse  of  the  Holy  City  from  Salutation  Hill, 
saw  before  him  much  the  same  sight  as  the  tourist  of 
to-day  may  look  upon  from  the  same  spot.  Three 
miles  away  a  hill  crowned  with  white-walled  buildings, 
many  towers,  gilded  domes  and  spires  topped  with 
Cross-and-Crescent ;  outside  the  wall  that  encircles 
this  hill,  groups  of  buildings,  large  and  small ;  open 
fields,  trees — singly,  in  rows,  clumps  and  thickets — 
separate  group  from  group ;  ever  and  anon  above  the 
many  hued  roofs  reach  belfries,  spires,  steeples,  domes 
and  minarets  innumerable.  Beyond,  to  right  and  left, 
the  scene  repeats  itself  until  the  bright  coloured  build- 
ings become  indistinguishable  from  the  masses  of 
verdure  and  all  merge  in  the  haze  of  the  plains  east 
and  west,  or  the  faint  outline  of  forest  to  the  north. 

Long  ago  the  tremendous  extent  of  this  town, 
apparently  without  limit,  amazed  strangers  no  less  than 
the  richness  and  multitude  of  its  buildings  filled  pilgrims 
with  awe  and  reverence.  To  the  tourist  to-day  it  is 
as  a  vision  of  magnificent  splendour  and  brilliance,  for 


«<^»B# 


The  Story  of  Moscow 


Introduction 


seen  in  the  clear  sunlight  of  a  summer  day  Moscow  has 
beauty  and  brightness  no  other  city  possesses.  Long 
lines  of  ivory  whiteness  capped  with  vivid  green  or 
flushed  with  carmine  and  ruby  ;  great  globes  of  deepest 
blue,  patches  of  purple  and  dashes  of  aquamarine ;  many 
gleaming  domes  of  gold,  glowing  halos  of  burnished 
copper,  dazzling  points  of  glistening  silver — such  make 
Moscow  at  sunset  like  part  of  a  rainbow  streaked  with 
lightning  and  thickly  bedizened  with  great  gems. 

Intense  colours,  sharp  contrasts  characterise  Moscow. 
The  extravagances  of  design  and  colouring,  unconceal- 
able  even  in  the  general  prospect,  are  obvious  on  closer 
inspection.  The  stranger  arriving  by  railway  gets  no 
bird's-eye  view  of  the  town  ;  but  on  his  way  from  the 
station  in  the  suburbs  towards  the  central  town  sees 
the  painted  roofs,  coloured  walls,  pretentious  pillars, 
cupolas  with  golden  stars,  strange  towers,  fantastic  gates, 
immense  buildings,  tiny  cottages,  magnificent  spaces, 
narrow  winding  streets ;  irregularities  and  incongruities 
so  many  that  Moscow  first,  and  most  lastingly,  im- 
presses by  its  bizarrerie. 

With  fuller  acquaintance  the  diversity  of  style  appears 
in  keeping  with  the  spirit  of  the  place,  and  seeming  in- 
congruities are  softened,  or  redeemed,  by  originality  of 
design  or  execution.  The  buildings  of  Moscow  are 
multiform,  but  there  is  dissimilarity  rather  than  con- 
trariety ;  the  usual  elsewhere  is  the  unconventional 
here,  and  conformity  is  attained  by  each  being  unlike 
all  others.  An  early  traveller  wrote :  "  One  might 
imagine  all  the  states  of  Europe  and  Asia  had  sent  a 
building  by  way  of  representation  to  Moscow,"  and  in 
a  certain  sense  this  is  still  true.  But  it  would  be  in- 
correct to  assume,  therefore,  that  cosmopolitanism  is  a 
dominant  trait.  The  very  reverse  is  the  fact.  Moscow 
is  essentially  Russian,  and  though  there  is  abundant 
evidence  of  borrowing  from  Greece,  Italy  and  Byz- 


antium ;  from  Moor,  Goth  and  Mongol ;  of  appropria- 
tion of  classic,  mediaeval  and  renaissance  methods,  the 
prevalent  style  seems  to  be  not  exactly  the  combination 
of  any  so  much  as  the  outcome  of  all.  Not  that  indi- 
genous forms  are  wanting,  but  their  elemental  quality  is 
obscured  by  the  wondrous  versatility  and  adaptability  of 
the  artists.  The  result  is  as  confusing  as  though  an 
author  in  writing  out  his  original  ideas  made  constant 
random  use  of  different  alphabets  in  each  word. 

This  method,  so  characteristic  of  Russia,  is  per- 
plexing rather  than  intricate,  but  he  would  be  very 
learned  or  foolhardy  who,  acting  on  the  rule  that 
to  see  the  house  is  to  know  the  inmates,  if  shown 
Moscow  should  at  once  predicate  the  character  of  its 
inhabitants. 

Yet  more  than  most  towns  Moscow  reflects  the  life 
history  of  its  people ;  whatever  there  is  of  beauty,  of 
strength,  of  individuality,  is  the  result  of  human  intelli- 
gence, experience  and  eflbrt.  No  town  of  like  im- 
portance owes  so  little  to  nature,  so  much  to  man. 
And  the  dominant  tone  is  religious  ;  religious  feeling 
has  inspired  the  noblest  efix)rts,  ecclesiastical  influence 
has  conserved  such  oneness  of  purpose  as  Moscow 
manifests.  Withal  there  is  strong  individualism,  both 
clerical  and  secular. 

Paradoxical  as  Moscow  is,  it  is  in  the  highest  degree 
interesting.  If  no  one  object  can  be  pointed  to  as 
typical  of  race  or  period,  no  public  work  shown  as  the 
result  of  persistent  policy  or  genius  of  peculiar  citizen- 
ship, Moscow  in  its  entirety  demonstrates  the  develop- 
ment of  a  people.  Even  the  opposing  principles  of 
diffusion  and  cohesion,  and  the  parts  they  have  served 
in  the  history  of  this  race,  are  so  unmistakably  ex- 
pressed that  the  sight-seer,  even,  feels  that  in  Moscow, 
most  surely,  must  be  found  the  key  not  only  to  the 
history  of  Russia,  but  also  to  the  character  of  men 


I'he  Story  of  Moscoiv 


who  have  conquered  and  hold  the  largest  part  of  two 
continents. 

Moscow,  the  town  that  has  cradled  and  nursed  a 
mighty  nation,  does  not  lack  story  ;  but  its  story  com- 
prises much  of  the  early  history  of  the  empire  subse- 
quently evolved,  and  consequently  much  that  may  be 
considered  foreign  to  the  city  itself  must  be  stated  if 
the  tale  is  to  be  complete,  or  even  comprehensible  by 
those  to  whom  the  ancient  history  of  Russia  is  un- 
known. 


To  begin  at  the  beginning.  European  Russia  is  an 
immense  plain,  its  centre  elevated  scarcely  three 
hundred  feet  above  sea-level ;  the  hills,  few,  low  and 
unimportant.  Lakes  are  plentiful,  and  great  rivers 
wi^  many  ramifications  flow  slowly  by  tortuous 
channels — mostly  towards  the  north-west  or  the  south- 
east. Large  tracts  of  forest  and  marsh  in  the  centre 
terminate  with  frozen  wastes  to  the  north,  and  merge 
with  rough,  sandy  pastures  on  the  south. 

At  various  periods,  Europe  has  been  invaded  and 
peopled  by  different  races  from  the  east,  and  the  last 
of  these  migrants,  the  Slavs,  for  the  most  part  took 
the  direction  of  the  great  water-ways  of  Russia,  that 
is,  from  the  south-east  towards  the  north-west.  In 
addition  to  their  nomadic  habit,  various  causes,  amongst 
which  must  be  counted  internecine  warfare,  led  to  the 
dispersion  of  the  Slavs,  whilst  effective  occupation  by 
earlier  migrants  and  the  determined  resistance  of  ab- 
original races  checked  their  progress  in  some  directions. 
The  Scythian  branch  of  the  Slav  race  settled  on  the 
Don  about  400  b.c.  but  was  gradually  driven  from  the 
shores  of  the  Black  Sea  by  the  Greek  colonists  of 
Miletus.     These  colonies  were  taken  by  the  Romans 


Pre-Muscovite  Russia 

later,  and  about  300  a.d.  the  Slavs  again  asserted  their 
dominion  there  for  a  period.  Other  branches  of  the 
Slav  race  and  wilder  races  from  Asia  pressed  westward, 
laying  the  country  waste.  Huns,  Turks,  Goths, 
Bolgars,  Magyars,  Polovtsi,  Pechenegians  and  others, 
at  different  times,  drove  Slavs  of  pastoral  habit  aside 
from  their  path.  In  the  fifth  century  Slavs  established 
themselves  on  the  Dnieper  at  Kief  and  at  Novgorod 
on  the  Ilmen,  where  they  progressed  and  became 
civilised.  In  the  seventh  century  they  were  once 
more  on  the  shores  of  the  Black  Sea  in  the  south,  and 
in   the    north    Novgorod   was  a    thriving    commercial 

centre.  r  a  •    • 

The  Slav  republics  suffered  at  the  hands  of  Asiatics 
on  the  south,  and  from  the  depredations  of  vikings  on 
the  north  ;   moreover  there   were  internal  dissensions. 
In    A.D.    864,    Rurik,    a    Varoeger   prince— the   same 
who,  it  is  believed,  laid  waste  the  maritime  provinces 
of  France  in    850  and  in  851    entered  the  Thames 
with  300  sail  and  pillaged  Canterbury — made  himself 
master  of  the  northern  republic,  took  up  his  residence 
at  Novgorod  and  founded  a  dynasty  which  lasted  700 
years.     There  is  a  legend  to  the  effect  that  his  coming 
was  at  the  invitation  of  the  Slavs,  who  sought  his  aid 
and  sovereignty,  but  there  can  be  no  doubt  it  was  as  a 
conqueror  that  Rurik  came   and  established  his  race 
in  Russia.     Some  of  his  followers,  led  by  Askold  and 
Dyr,  sought  fortune  and  conquest  further  south.    These 
became  masters  of  Kief,  pressed  on  to  Constantinople 
in   200  ships,  embraced   Christianity  and  returned  to 
Kief,   intending    there  to   found    a    separate   kingdom 
and  dynasty.     After  the  death  of  Rurik,  his  son  Igor, 
a  minor,  succeeded ;    his  uncle,  Oleg,  as  regent,  went 
to  Kief;  there  he  treacherously  killed  the  two  usurping 
leaders,  took   possession   of  the   city   and,   appointing 
Igor  to  the  throne,  determined  that   Kief  should  be 

5 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

the  "  mother  of  Russian  towns."  The  people  were 
then  pagans,  and  the  Northmen  kept  to  the  practices 
of  their  ancestors  until  about  955,  when  Olga  was 
regent ;  she  visited  Constantinople  and  was  there 
baptised  into  the  Christian  faith.  Some  thirty  years 
later,  Vladimir,  the  seventh  in  descent  from  Rurik, 
ascended  the  throne,  and  during  his  reign  the  Christian 
religion  was  generally  adopted  throughout  his  realm. 
Kief  then  became  closely  associated  with  Constantinople, 
its  connection  with  the  Byzantine  empire  being  both 
ecclesiastical  and  commercial.  Novgorod,  on  the  other 
hand,  remained  in  closer  touch  with  the  west,  supplying 
the  Northmen  with  the  wares  of  Araby  and  Ind  that 
reached  Russia  by  way  of  the  Volga.  Otther,  the 
Scandinavian  founder  of  Tver,  where  the  Tmak  joins 
the  Volga  north  of  Moscow,  was  a  great  trader  and 
traveller ;  at  one  time  going  as  far  east  as  Perm  on 
the  Kama  (Biarmaland),  at  another  to  England — 
where  he  gave  King  Alfred  particulars  of  the  fairs  in 
the  east,  and  the  methods  of  trading  with  Asian 
merchants. 

In  the  Historical  Museum  of  Moscow  is  a  well 
arranged  collection  of  prehistoric  antiquities  found  in 
the  empire.  There  is  nothing  among  the  stone  im- 
plements to  show  that  the  earliest  races  in  Russia  in 
any  way  differed  in  habit  from  those  of  the  same  era 
occupying  western  Europe  and  the  British  Isles.  The 
most  ancient  of  the  relics  (Rooms  I.,  II.)  were  found 
with  bones  of  the  mammoth  in  the  district  of  Murom 
in  Vladimir,  and  at  Kostenki  near  Voronesh.  Some 
ear-rings  and  a  bracelet  of  twisted  silver  were  found  in 
the  Kremlin,  and  a  few  other  early  remains  when 
excavating  for  the  foundations  of  the  new  cathedral, 
but  these  trifles  are  not  evidence  of  early  occupation, 
since  they  may  have  been  left  by  travellers  along  the 
waterways. 

6 


Pre-Muscovite  Russia 

The  frescoes  are  fanciful  representations  of  supposed 
incidents  in  the  life  of  the  early  inhabitants,  and  the 
models  of  tumuli,  tombs,  dolmens,  cromlechs  and  the 
like,  enable  one  to  picture  some  part  of  the  rude  hfe 
of  the  people.  Particularly  deserving  notice  are  the 
models  of  the  dwellings  of  different  races  found  in 
Russia:  in  many  the  living  room  is  raised  well  above  the 
around.  It  was  on  the  first-floor  that  the  mediaeval 
Muscovites  lived ;  it  is  still  the  bel-etage,  and  preferred 

The  picture  by  Semiradski  representing  the  funeral 
rites  of  the  Bolgars  has  the  warrant  of  history.  On 
the  death  of  a  chief  of  this  tribe,  the  remains  were 
placed  in  a  boat  on  a  pile  of  wood;  horses,  cattle, 
slaves,  were  slain  and  added;  the  wife,  or  a  maid 
offering  herself  a  sacrifice,  was  feted  for  a  time,  then 
placed  in  the  boat,  and  as  soon  as  her  attendants  bade 
her  farewell  the  pyre  was  fired,  and  subsequently  a 
mound  raised  over  the  ashes. 

The  stone  idols,  remarkable  in  their  likeness  to  each 
other,  are  from  all  parts  of  Russia  ;  a  similar  one  is  to  be 
seen  at  Kuntsevo,  near  Moscow,  but  both  the  "babas, 
as  they  are  called,  and  pre-christian  crosses,  are  more 
common   in  the  south  and   east   of   Russia   than    m 

Muscovy.  .    ;  ^  ,,      •  n      c 

To  the  little  that  this  Historical  Collection  tells  ot 
the  early  Slavs  may  be  added  such  facts  as  ancient 
chroniclers  have  recorded.  The  Russians  lived  together 
in  communities  governed  by  elected  or  hereditary  elders  ; 
reared  cattle  and  farmed  bees ;  they  were  nomadic, 
idolatrous,  hospitable  and  fond  of  fermented  liquors. 

Some  writers  dispute,  disregard,  or  behttle  the 
Varangian  dominion  in  Russia;  contending  that  the 
Varoegers  themselves  were  Slavs,  were  closely  akm 
to  them,  or  were  quickly  absorbed  by  them.  To  the 
contrary    it    is   urged   that    Rurik   and   his   followers 

7 


The  Story  of  Moscow 


possessed  qualities  peculiar  to  the  Northmen  ;  that  his 
kingdom  in  Russia  resembled  other  Scandinavian 
colonies,  and  that  certain  customs  he  introduced  were 
foreign  to  Slav  habits.  Vladimir,  a  direct  descendant 
of  Rurik,  conquered  Poland ;  his  son,  Yaroslaf,  both 
on  account  of  his  warlike  achievements  and  the 
splendour  in  which  he  lived,  was  respected  throughout 
Europe.  His  daughters  married  into  the  reigning 
houses  of  France,  Hungary  and  Norway  ;  a  daughter  of 
Vsevolod  married  Henry  IV.  of  Germany;  Vladimir, 
the  grandson  of  Yaroslaf,  married  Gyda,  the  daughter  of 
Harold  n.  King  of  England;  their  son,  Mstislaf,  married 
Christina,  daughter  of  the  King  of  Sweden.  Such  a 
close  connection  between  the  Scandinavian  and  Russian 
courts  is  not  likely  to  have  obtained  if  the  members 
belonged  to  different  races.  Scandinavian  conquerors 
to  some  extent  mixed  with  the  peoples  whose  territory 
they  occupied  ;  usually  they  married  their  own  race. 
They  fought  with  each  other  on  matters  of  precedence 
and  succession  ;  they  thought  much  of  personal  valour 
and  honour,  and  lived  in  the  present  with  little  regard 
to  dynasty.  They,  as  little  as  the  Slavs  to-day,  would 
pay  tribute  to  suzerains. 

Doubtless  the  Varangian  leaders  and  their  military 
companions,  subsequently  known  as  the  drujn't  of  the 
Russian   princes,  gave  to  the   Slav  character  love  of 
enterprise  and    power  to   initiate — traits   which    have 
always  distinguished  Russian  nobles  from  the  peasantry. 
Again,  the  "  Russkaia  Pravda  "  of  the  tenth  century 
is   contemporary  with   and  akin   to  **  Knut's  Code," 
which  the  English  usually,  but  wrongly,  attribute  to  King 
Alfred.     One  other  point  tells  in  favour  of  Scandi- 
navian dominion  :   the  freedom  accorded  to  women  and 
the  high  position  some  of  them  took  in  the  state.     But 
their  privileges  and  influence  declined  with  the  ascend- 
ency of  the  Slav,  and  the  seclusion  of  women  in  the 
8 


Pre-Muscovite  Russia 

Asiatic  manner  subsequently  obtained  in  Moscow  and 
lasted  there  until  the  days  of  Peter  the  Great. 

The  Northmen  introduced  into  Russia  their  system 
of  succession,  the  odelsret  that  still  prevails  in  Norway. 
The  descendants  of  Rurik,  with  their  military  com- 
rades, fought  against  each  other  for  the  throne  pt  Kiet, 
or  the  inheritance  of  other  possessions.     As  with  each 
succeeding  generation  the  princely  family  multiplied, 
the  country  was  rent  with  dissensions.     Now  the  ruler 
of  Kief,  then  he  of  Novgorod  became  paramount ;  in 
1 1  58  the  reigning  prince  of  Vladimir  succeeded,  and, 
for  the  time.  Kief  became  of  second  importance.      1  he 
history  of   Russia  during  the   tenth   and    succeedmg 
centuries  is  a  story  of  strife  and  disaster.     Wars,  with 
varying   success,  against  Poles,  Swedes,  Lithuanians, 
and  the  predatory  tribes  on  the  south  and  east ;  hres, 
famine,  pestilence,  succeeded  each  other  and  re-occurred. 
In    1124    Kief,    the    opulent    and    sacred    city,    was 
destroyed   by  fire ;    some   years   later  Novgorod  was 
depopulated    by   famine ;    robbers    exacted    blackmail 
.  from  voyagers  on  the  great  waterways ;  trade  decayed. 
In  1224  the  Russians  made  common  cause  wuh  their 
enemy  the  Polovtsi  to  repel  an  invasion  of  Tartars ; 
they  were  beaten   and   Kief  fell- 50,000  of  its   in- 
habitants  being   put  to  the    sword.     Thirteen    years 
later  a  second  invasion  of  the  Tartars  resulted  m  the 
fall  of  Vladimir  and  the  subjection  of  southern  and 
eastern   Russia  to   Mongol  rule.      Livonians,  Swedes 
and   Danes    attacked    Novgorod,    but  were    repulsed. 
Pressed  on  these  sides  the  Russians  could  extend  only 
towards  the  inhospitable  north.      In  these  times   and 
with    this    environment    Moscow    was    founded,    and 
nursed ;    became  a  rallying  point  for   the  Slav  race ; 
grew  strong  and  rich ;  and,  by  the  genius  of  its  rulers, 
dominated  Russia.  , 

Slowly  but  surely  the    Scandinavian    element  was 

9 


^he  Story  of  Moscow 

absorbed;  with  Ivan  I.  (i 328-1 341)  the  time  of 
transition  practically  ended.  A  new  policy  of  ag- 
grandisement was  adopted  and  the  Muscovite  was 
evolved  from  the  Slav  race.  Round  Moscow,  subject 
to  the  Tartar  yoke,  the  people  became  patient  and 
resigned ;  born  to  endure  bad  fortune,  they  could 
profit  by  good.  The  princes  of  Moscow  gained 
their  ends  by  intrigue,  by  corruption,  by  the  purchase 
of  consciences,  by  servility  to  the  Tartar  Khans,  by 
perfidy  to  their  equals,  by  murder  and  treachery. 
"  Politic  and  persevering,  prudent  and  pitiless,  it  is 
their  honour  to  have  created  the  living  germ  which 
became  great  Russia.'* 


TO 


CHAPTER  II 

Origin  and  Early  History 

«Away  in  the  depths  of  the  primeval  forest,  where  one 
heard  the^ow  chanting  of  the  solitary  hermit  m  his  retreat, 
arises  the  glorious  Kremlin  of  Moscow  town.  ^    ^^^^^^^ 

IT  is  generally  believed  that  the  word  Moscow  is  of 
I  Finnish  origin  ;  in  an  old  dialect  ia,«  means  water, 
the  exact  significance  of  Mos  is  undecided,  probably 
Moskva  implies  "the-way,'*  simply-the  water-route 
to  some  trading  point  reached  by  this  river  from  the 
Volga  and  Oka.  It  was  the  name  by  which  the 
river  was  known,  and  from  time  immemorial  there 
have  been  villages  on  the  banks  of  the  stream  near 
the  present  town  of  Moscow. 

In  the  ninth  century  the  hill  which  the  Kremlin 
now  covers  was  virgin  forest.  According  to  tradition 
Bookal,  a  hermit,  was  living  there  in  882,  when  Oleg, 
on  his  return  to  Novgorod  from  Kief,  paused  there 
and  laid  the  first  stone  of  the  city.  Sulkhovski,  who 
had  access  to  the  archives  of  Moscow  prior  to  their 
removal  on  the  French  invasion,  asserts  that  there 
was  documentary  proof  of  this  then  in  existence,  but 
his  statement  lacks  confirmation. 

The  chroniclers  make  no  mention  of  Moscow  until 
1 147.  Between  the  foundation  of  the  Rurik  dynasty 
and  this  date  the  dominion  of  the  Northmen  had 
extended,  and,  divided  and  subdivided  as  generation 
succeeded  generation,  was  split  up  into  many  districts, 

II 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

each  ruled  by  a  descendant  of  Rurik.  These  princes 
all  claimed  kinship,  admitted  the  rights  of  their  elders 
and  the  rule  of  the  head  of  the  house  in  Kief.  In 
addition  to  the  residences  of  the  princes,  their  drujn't, 
that  is  "war  companions"  or  friends,  had  "halls," 
and  held,  subject  to  their  prince,  one  or  more  villages. 
In  the  twelfth  century  one  Stephen  Kutchko  had  his 
hall  near  the  Chisty  Prud  in  Moscow,  and  the  villages 
between  the  Moskva  and  the  Yauza,  with  others,  were 
within  his  lordship. 

In  1 1 47  Yuri  Dolgoruki,  the  Prince  of  Suzdal,  in 
whose  country  Moscow  was  situated,  agreed  to  meet 
his  kinsmen  Sviatoslaf  and  Oleg  of  Novgorod  on  the 
banks  of  the  Moskva  river,  and  thither  they  came  with 
their  drujn'ty  and  others,  all  of  whom  were  so  sumptuously 
entertained  by  Yuri,  that  the  fame  of  Moscow  and  of 
Yuri  was  noised  abroad. 

As  the  river  Moskva  was  a  highway  for  traffic 
between  Suzdal,  Vladimir  and  the  Volga  in  the  east, 
with  Smolensk  in  the  west  and  Kief  in  the  south, 
the  villages  on  its  banks  were  important.  The  hill 
on  which  the  Kremlin  stands  appeared  to  Yuri  a  point 
of  vantage,  and,  as  it  was  near  the  boundary  of  his 
territory,  he  there  constructed  a  fortress  and  also  built, 
or  rebuilt  or  enlarged,  the  church  which  served  for  the 
inhabitants  of  the  village  of  Kutchkovo  hard  by,  and 
for  those  of  other  villages  in  the  neighbourhood. 

All  chroniclers  agree  that  Yuri  was  the  first  to  make 
a  stronghold  of  the  hill  on  the  Moskva  ;  most  state 
further  that  he  put  to  death  Stephen  Kutchko,  but 
attribute  this  act  to  different  causes.  One  story  has 
it  that  Yuri  wished  to  wed  the  wife  of  Stephen,  so 
put  him  out  of  the  way.  As  Yuri  was  but  recently 
married  to  a  kinswoman  of  Mstislaf,  and  so  allied  to  the 
dominant  house  in  Novgorod,  this  story  is  improbable. 
Another  legend  is  to  the  effect  that  Kutchko,  proud 

12 


ii 


^%. 


'Imkm 


< 

> 

o 
S 

u 
f 

o 

at: 

Z 

1^ 
•-) 

s 

M 

t£ 
W! 

U 

B 


13 


Origin  and  Early  History 

of  his  village,  refused  due  homage  to  his  superior  lord, 
and  so  suffered  ;  and  another  that  a  village  was  taken 
from   Kutchko  to  endow  Andrew  Bogoloobski,  a  son 
of  Yuri's  wedded  to  the  daughter  of  a  neighbourmg 
boyard,    whence    the    trouble.     This    last    story    is 
supported  by  the  fact  that  later  the  sons  of  the  killed 
Kutchko    conspired    against    the    enriched    Andrew 
Bogoloobski ;  one  was  killed  in  attacking  him,  whilst 
the  other  succeeded  in  avenging  a  wrong  done.     Later 
historians  are  of  opinion  that  Kutchko  was  an  inter- 
loper from   Black   Russia   or  Podolia,  trespassing  on 
the  territory  of  Yuri,  who  treated  him  as  a  usurper. 

It  was  in  1156  that  Moscow  became  a  town— just 
a  cluster  of  dwellings  on  tlie  Kremlin  hill  with  a  fence 
extending  from  the  narrow  stream  Neghnnaia   (now  a 
covered  sewer  under  the  Alexander  Gardens),  from 
the    Troitski  Gate    to    the  Moskva   at,  or  near,  the 
Tainitski  Gate.     The   chief  house  was   built  on  the 
spot  now  covered  by  the  Orujnia  Palata.     A  church, 
Lass  na  Born,  St  Saviour  of  the  Pines,  is  supposed 
to  have  existed  where  the  church  of  that  name,  the 
oldest  building  in  the  Kremlin,  now  stands.     Another 
church,  dedicated  to  St  John  the  Baptist,  once  existed 
nearer  the  foot  of  the  hill,  and  its  altar  was  removed 
to  the  chapel  adjoining  the    Borovitski  Gate  when  a 
later  erection  was  demolished.     Both  of  these  churches 
were  known  as  "  In  the  Wood,''  and  the  name  still 
preserves  the  memory  of  the   thick   forest  that  once 
covered  the  hill,  and  probably  extended  far  and  near 
on  both  sides  of  the  Moskva.  ^    •    -p,  ,        u; 

The  founder  of  Moscow,  Kniaz  Yuri  Dolgoruki 
Vladimirovich,  or,  as  the  English  call  him.  Prince 
George  Long-ith'-arm,  Vladimir's  son,  was  a  son  ot 
that  Prince  of  Kief  who  married  Gyda,  the  daughter 
of  Harold  II.  of  England.  Yuri,  like  his  father,  was 
a  man  of  great  energy  and  did  much  to  strengthen  and 

15 


/ 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

improve  the  towns  within  his  territory.  He  is  described 
as  "above  the  middle  height,  stout,  fair  complexioned, 
with  a  large  nose,  long  and  crooked  ;  his  chin  small ; 
a  great  lover  of  women,  sweet  things  and  liquor  ;  great 
at  merry-makings,  and  not  backward  in  war." 

For  a  century  or  more  Moscow  remained  in  obscurity, 
an  insignificant  appanage  of  the  younger  sons  of  the 
princes  of  Suzdal.  It  was  long  before  any  of  the 
reigning  house  made  it  a  place  of  residence.  In  the 
meantime,  a  stronghold,  it  attracted  traders  and  the 
attention  of  enemies.  Gleb  of  Riazan  has  the  dis- 
tinction of  being  the  first  to  set  fire  to  the  town,  but 
the  earliest  enemy  of  importance  was  the  Tartar. 

In    1224  the    Golden    Horde    defeated    the    Slavs 
m   South    Russia,    destroyed    Kief,  marched   towards 
Novgorod  Sverski,  then,  "  without  ostensible  reason," 
returned   to  Bokhara,  to    the   camp    of  their    leader, 
Khingiz     Khan.       In    1237    Baati,    a    grandson    of 
Khingiz,    crossed    the    Volga   and    laid    the    country 
waste.     On  the  march  of  this  horde  westward  Moscow 
was    burnt;    Vladimir   was   first   taken.      There    the 
princess  and  other  persons  of  distinction  took  refuge 
in  a  church,  where  they  were  burnt  alive.     Yuri  U., 
the  reigning  prince,  absent  at  the  time,  then  attempted 
revenge   and    was    slain    in    battle.     There  was  little 
resistance;     the    Tartars    subdued    many    towns   and 
reduced  whole  provinces ;  marched  within  sixty  miles 
of  Novgorod  Sverski,  then  again  '*  without  ostensible 
cause  "  turned  eastward  and  left  Russia. 

The  Tartar  was  not  driven  from  his  own  country  ; 
he  raided  because  it  was  his  nature  so  to  do.  The 
object  of  these  early  incursions,  as  of  subsequent  raids 
mto  Russian  territory,  was  "  to  get  stores  of  captives, 
both  boys  and  girls,  whom  they  sell  to  the  Turks 
and  other  neighbouring  Mahometan  countries."  Rich 
towns,  therefore,  could  buy  the  Tartar  off;  a  fact 
16 


Origin  and  Early  History 

which  influenced  the  later  policy  of  the  Muscovites. 
Poor  towns  and  ill-protected  districts  were,  until  a 
comparatively  recent  period,  liable  to  "slave-raids" 
from  Tartars  and  others.  The  Sultan  Ahmed  I.  of 
Constantinople  asked  of  Osman,  his  eldest  son  and 
heir,  "  My  Osman,  wilt  thou  conquer  Crete  for  me?  " 


'.yA**-- 


».  < 


DANILOVSKI    MONASTYR 

«« What  have  I  to  do  with  Crete  ?  I  will  conquer  the 
land  of  the  white  Russian  girls,"  answered  the  boy. 
And  as  he  thought  to  do,  so  many  of  his  race  did. 
It  was  not  until  the  present  century  that  the  exchange 
of  prisoners  of  war  became  the  practice  of  Turks  and 

B  17 


"I 


il 


T'he  Story  of  Moscow 

Russians.  The  Tartars,  with  their  enormous  crowd  of 
captives,  could  not  winter  in  Russia,  hence  ^^their 
timely  withdrawal  "without  ostensible  cause"  on 
several  occasions. 

Moscow  was  soon  rebuilt  after  this  Tartar  invasion. 
A  few  years  later  Michael  Khorobrit,  a  brother  of  the 
successful  Alexander  Nevski,  ruler  of  Novgorod,  suc- 
ceeded to  Moscow,  and  became  its  first  actual  prmce ; 
but  during  the  war  the  Lithuanians  commenced  against 
Novgorod  in  1242,  Michael  was  killed.  Tradition 
has  it  that  this  Michael  was  the  builder  of  the  first 
cathedral  of  the  Archangel  in  the  Kremlin. 

He  was  succeeded  in  Moscow  by  Daniel,  the  fourth 
son    of    Alexander    Nevski,    and    thenceforward    the 
fortunes    of  Novgorod    and    Moscow    were    more    in 
common.     Moscow    was   chief   of  the    few   villages 
Daniel   received  as  his   portion.     He  made  the  most 
of  it.      In    1 293   the  Tartars,  under    Dudenia,  fired 
the  town  and  destroyed  the  churches,  monastery,  and 
all  buildings  on  the  Kremlin  hill.     Daniel  set  ener- 
getically to  work  to  build  a  larger  and  stronger  town. 
He  re-erected  the  church  Spass  na  Boru ;  built  the 
cathedral  of  the  Archangel,  and  that  of  the  Annun- 
ciation ;    founded  the   Danilof  monastery,   and   incor- 
porated the  one  known  as  Krutitski.      He  so  added  to 
the  town  that  it  quickly  became  prosperous,  and  when 
he  died  in  1303  his  son,  George,  succeeded  to  a  posi- 
tion of  wealth  and  power.      Daniel  was  of  the  Hne  of 
Rurik,  and  from  him  were  descended  the  subsequently 
mighty   race   of   Moscow    Tsars.       George    acquired 
Mojaisk;    then   began  a   struggle    with   Tver,   which 
continued   from    father    to    son,    lasted   eighty    years. 
The     quarrel     arose     from    a    disputed     succession. 
Andrew,  Prince  of  Suzdal,  died   in   1304;    George 
of  Moscow,  his  nephew,  wished  to  succeed  him.     His 
right  to  do  so  was  questioned  by  Michael  of  Tver, 
18 


Origin  and  Early  History 

who  was  cousin-german  of  the  deceased.  Michael, 
the  eldest,  was  accepted  by  the  boyars,  and  his  election 
was  confirmed  by  the  Tartars,  who  claimed  the  right 
of  appointing  the  sovereign.  George  then  caused 
himself  to  be  recognised  as  a  Prince  of  Novgorod, 
and  still  disputed.  Michael  besieged  him  in  Moscow, 
and  for  a  time  there  was  peace.  Then  George  again 
attempted  to  obtain  Tver,  and  a  second  time  he  was 
forced  to  take  refuge  in  Moscow,  which  was  again 
besieged  by  Michael. 

Tokhta,  Khan  of  the  Golden  Horde  of  Tartars  on 
the  Volga,  died ;  he  was  succeeded  by  Usbek,  to  whom 
George  of  Moscow  at  once  repaired  to  do  homage  and 
obtain   favours.     He  so  represented  affairs  to   Usbek 
that  he   obtained  from  him   his   sister    Kontchaka   in 
marriage,  and    was    adjudged    rightful    successor    to 
Andrew  of  Suzdal.     George  returned  to   Russia  ac- 
companied by   a  Mongol  army  under  a   baskak,   one 
Kavgadi.     The  boyards  still  supported  Michael,  who 
was  a  great  fighter.     Michael,  refusing   to  submit  to 
Kavgadi,  was  accused  of  having  drawn  sword  against 
an  envoy  of  the  Khan,  and  later,   when   Kontchaka 
died,  of  having  poisoned  her.     To  arrange  this  matter 
Michael,  busy  in  defending  his  province  against  other 
enemies,  sent  his  twelve-year  old  son  to  the  Horde  ; 
George  went  himself  and  compassed   the  fall  of  his 
rival.     The  Khan  reluctantly  complied  with  George's 
request  for  a  sentence  of  death  upon  Michael ;  it  was 
no  sooner  granted  than  George  hastened  away  to  give 
it  effect,  and  Michael  was  done  to  death  in  his  tent  by 
George's  servants.  Michael  became  a  saint ;  George  the 
all-powerful  ruler  of  Moscow,  Suzdal  and  Novgorod. 

Dmitri,  of  the  "terrible  eyes,"  son  of  Michael, 
succeeded  to  Tver  and  determined  upon  revenge. 
When  at  last  he  met  George  of  Moscow  he  slew  him, 
but  for  thus  going  against  his  superior  prince  was  him- 

19 


T'he  Story  of  Moscow 

self  put  to  death,  and  his  brother,  Alexander,  succeeded 
him  in  Vladimir  in  1325. 

Such  is  the  story  of  the  little  wooden  town.  Its 
rulers — with,  possibly,  the  exception  of  Daniel — 
regarded  it  merely  as  a  property,  the  possession  of 
which  might  lead  to  the  acquisition  of  a  more  im- 
portant capital.  It  flourished  because  it  was  in  the 
midst  of  a  country  that  was  self-supporting,  as  well  as 
being  conveniently  situated  as  a  mart  for  the  inter- 
change of  products  from  north  and  south,  east  and 
west.  Its  disasters  were  such  as  other  towns  suffered  ; 
its  advantages  of  site  they  did  not  possess. 


!( 


20 


CHAPTER  III 


Moscow  under  the  Mofigols 

"  At  Sara,  in  the  lande  of  Tartaric, 

There  dwelled  a  king  who  w^erryed  Russie." 

CRiVUCER — Story  of  Cambuscan  bold. 

npHE  first  real  prince  of  Moscow  was  Ivan  I.,  sur- 
named  "Kalita"  (the  Purser),  who  of  his  own 
right  inherited  Moscow  from  his  father,  Daniel,  and  by 
the  grace  of  the  Khan,  was  also  Grand  Prince  of 
Vladimir  in  succession  to  his  brother  George.  He  made 
alliances,  matrimonial  and  other,  for  himself  and  his, 
so  adding  to  his  possessions,  and  by  purchase  acquir- 
ing also  Uglitch,  Galitch  and  Bielozersk.  Like  his 
brother  he  kept  on  good  terms  with  the  Khan.  At 
the  command  of  Usbek  he  made  war  on  Tver, 
Novgorod  and  Pskov.  The  Tartar  Horde  and  the 
Muscovites  fought  in  concert  against  Russian  enemies. 
When  Tver  rose  against  the  Tartar,  Ivan,  with 
Moscow,  was  on  the  side  of  the  Mongols.  When 
Usbek  ordered  him  to  produce  Alexander  of  Tver, 
who  was  a  fugitive  in  Pskov,  Ivan  induced  the  metro- 
politan to  interdict  Alexander  and  the  Pskovians — 
thus  a  Christian  prince  and  people  were  excom- 
municated by  their  own  kin  at  the  behest  of  Tartars. 

Ivan  "  Kalita,"  in  his  turn,  served  the  church  well. 
Peter,  the  metropolitan  of  Vladimir,  had  often  resided  in 
Moscow  ;  Theognistus  lived  there  almost  constantly  ; 
and  for  Ivan,  Vladimir  was  only  the  town  in  which 

21 


The  Story  of  Moscow 


he  had  been  crowned.  It  was  in  Moscow  that  he 
hved  and  for  Moscow  he  worked.  In  order  to  make 
It  attractive  to  the  metropolitan  and  to  obtain  for  it 
the  religious  supremacy  which  had  first  belonged  to 
Kiev,  then  to  Vladimir,  he  built  magnificent  churches 

— notably  that  of  the  Assumption  (Uspcnski  Sobor) 

and  was  practically  successful  in  so  far  that  Moscow 
had  the  prestige  of  a  metropolis;  but  Vladimir 
remained  the  legal  capital,  and  as  such  was  recognised 
by  the  Khans. 

Ivan  surrounded  the  hill  with  a  wall  of  oak  in  place 

of  the  deal  fence  formerly  its  sole  protection,  and  he 

gave  to  the  enclosure  the  Tartar  name  of  "  Kreml  " 

or  fortress.     This   then    included  his  own  dwelling ; 

the  cathedrals  of  the  Assumption,  of  the  Annunciation 

and  of  the  Archangel  Michael ;  the  churches  of  Spass  mi 

Boru ^x\d  of  St  John  the  Baptist ;  as  also  the  dwellings 

of    his    drujni,     followers    and    military    companions. 

It  was  at  his  instigation  too,  that  Sergius  founded  the 

Troitsa    monastery  in    order  to   rival  the    Pecherskoi 

monastery  and  catacombs  of  Kiev.     Ivan  knew  well 

the  power  of  money  and  was  free  in   using  it  ;   he  was 

cunning,  unscrupulous  and  discerning.     He  demanded 

and   obtained   from   Novgorod  more  than   he  intended 

to  pay  on  her  behalf  to  Usbek,  and  was  everywhere 

successful  as  farmer-general  of  taxes  and  imposts  made 

on  Russia  by  the  Horde.     When  he  died,  in  1341,  he 

ordered  that  Moscow  should   not  be  divided,  and  he 

left  by  far  the  largest  portion  of  his  possessions  to  his 

son  Simeon,  surnamed  "The  Proud." 

Simeon,  most  submissive  before  the  Khan,  bought 
over  the  horde  by  using  his  father's  treasure.  To  his 
brothers  he  was  haughty  and  overbearing.  As  inter- 
mediary between  the  Tartars  and  Russian  states  he 
enjoyed  privileges  denied  to  his  seniors,  and  arrogated 
to  himself  the  title  and  position  of  "Prince  of  all 
22 


Moscow  under  the  Mongols 

the  Russias.'*  He  continued  his  father's  policy  in 
Moscow,  engaging  Greek  artists  to  ornament  the 
cathedrals,  and  many  native  workmen  to  enlarge  and 
improve  the  buildings  within  the  Kremlin,  spending 
upon  Moscow  the  tribute  he  exacted  from  Novgorod 
and  other  towns. 

Ivan  II.  who  succeeded  him,  1353,  was  of  quite 
another  sort.  Gentle,  pacific,  lovable — all  outraged 
him  ;  he  would  have  lost  his  throne  had  not  the  church 
supported  him  loyally.  Moris,  a  monk,  quelled  a 
revolt ;  a  fire  destroyed  the  Kremlin  ;  when  he  died 
the  succession  to  the  title  of  Grand  Duke,  which  his 
three  predecessors  had  made  such  efforts  to  keep  in  the 
house  of  Moscow,  passed  to  their  kinsmen  at  Suzdal. 

Alexis,  the  metropolitan,  saved  the  supremacy  of 
Moscow.  After  crowning  Dmitri  at  Vladimir  he 
returned  to  Moscow  to  take  charge  of  the  children  of 
Ivan  II.  and  refused  to  leave  the  town.  Dmitri  was 
in  his  ninth  year  when  he  succeeded  his  father  in 
Moscow,  and  remained  in  the  tutelage  of  the  church 
for  many  years.  It  was  to  the  prompting  of  Alexis 
even  more  than  to  that  of  his  own  kinsmen  that  the 
breach  of  the  Tartar  alliance  is  due.  Dmitri  availed 
himself  of  a  division  in  the  Tartar  horde  to  question  the 
supremacy  of  either  leader.  Later  he  had  the  courage 
to  visit  Mamai — who  was  then  the  more  power- 
ful— and  had  the  good  luck  to  get  back  alive.  Seven 
years  lator  he  won  a  battle  against  Mamai,  in  Riazan. 

In  i6p5  a  fire  on  All  Saints'  Day  destroyed  the 
Kremlin!/ wall  and,  a  storm  raging  at  the  time, 
Moscow  was  almost  in  ruins.  In  1 367  the  Kremlin 
was  surrounded  with  a  new  wall — of  masonry — and  in 
the  following  year  this  was  put  to  the  test  when  an 
attack  was  made  on  Moscow  by  some  bands  of  pagan 
Lithuanians  under  Olgerd,  his  brother  Kistut  and  his 
subsequently  famous  nephew  Vitovt.     "  Olgerd  camped 

23 


The  Story  of  Moscow 


Moscoiv  under  the  Mongols 


before  the  walls,  pillaged  the  churches  and  monasteries 
in  the  neighbourhood,  but  did  not  assault  the  Kremlin, 
the  walls  of  which  frightened  him."  Two  years  later 
he  returned  to  the  attack,  but  his  enterprise  was  un- 
successful. In  the  meantime  Mamai,  the  Tartar  leader, 
had  matured  his  scheme  of  revenge.  In  1380  he  had 
collected  his  forces  and  was  marching  on  Moscow 
when  Dmitri,  with  the  aid  of  all  the  neighbouring 
princes,  got  together  an  immense  army  and  determined 
to  give  battle. 

The  confederate  troops  gathered  in  the  Kremlin 
included  contingents  supplied  by  the  princes  of  Rostov, 
Bielozersk  and  Yaroslaf,  and  the  boyards  of  Vladimir, 
Suzdal,  Uglitch,  Serpukhov,  Dmitrov,  Mojaisk  and 
other  towns.  After  service  in  the  cathedral  they  left 
by  the  Frolovski  (Spasski)  Nikolski  and  other  gates 
in  the  east  wall,  escorted  by  the  clergy  with  crucifixes 
and  miracle-working  ikons,  the  troops  marching  behind 
a^  black  standard  on  which  was  painted  a  portrait  of  the 
Saviour  on  a  nimbus  of  gold. 

Dmitri   before  advancing  against  the  Tartars  went 
to  St   Sergius  at   the  Troitsa   monastery   to   ask   his 
blessing,  and    was   there   comforted   with   a   prophecy 
of  victory.     More,  Sergius  sent  two  monks,  Osliabia 
and   Peresvet,   to   encourage    the    Muscovites.      They 
wore  a  cross  on  their  cowls  and  w^rt  into  the  thick 
of  the  battle.     Peresvet  was  found  dead  on  the  field 
tightly  grasping  a  Patsinak  giant  who  had  slain  him. 
The  armies    met   at    Kulikovo    on    the   Don,   where 
Dmitri    with    his    150,000    men    after   a    hard    fight 
obtained    the    victory,   and   Mamai   fled.      The   battle 
was  really  won  by  the  troops  of  Vladimir  and  Dmitri 
of  Volhynia,  whose  men  remained  in  ambush  until  the 
best  moment  for  attack  came. 

With   historians  Dmitri,   who,  badly  wounded,  was 
found   in  a  swoon    after    the   battle,  is  the  hero   of 
24 


yi»jU^  • 


the  day,  and  he  added  the  napi^  of  Donskoi  to 
commemorate  the  victory.  S<^hronius,  a  priest  of 
Riazan,  who  wrote  an  epic^x^  the  battle,  awards  chief 
honours  to  the  monks,  and  makes  St  Sergius,  through 
them,  support  the  cour^tge  of  Dmitri  at  critical  stages. 

Though  Mamai  ji/as  beaten  by  Dmitri,  he  fought 
again  before  he/fell  into  the  hands  of  his  rival 
Tamerlane,  jiJ^M^ut  him  to  death.  Then  Tamerlane 
seftfarT'envoy  to  Dmitri  acquainting  him  with  the  fact 
that  their  common  enemy  had  been  vanquished  and 
calling  upon  him  and  all  Russian  princes  to  present  them- 
selves to  him  and  make  their  homage  to  the  Horde. 

Dmitri  failed  to  comply,  and  when  the  Tartars 
advanced  into  his  territory  he  tried  to  raise  an  army 
to  oppose  them.  The  princes  who  had  promised  him 
support  failed  to  afford  it,  and  Dmitri,  unable  to  get 
40,000  men  together,  was  still  waiting  reinforcements 
at  Kostroma  when  the  Tartars  under  Tokhtamysh,  a 
descendant  of  Khingis  Khan,  appeared  before  the  walls 
of  Moscow. 

The  defence  of  the  Kremlin  was  in  the  hands  of 
a  Lithuanian,  Ostei,  and  the  Tartar  attack  was  re- 
pulsed ;  boiling  water  being  thrown  from  the  towers ; 
stones  and  baulks  of  timber  dropped  from  the  walls 
upon  the  assailants  in  the  ditch.  For  three  days  the 
Tartars  tried  to  effect  an  entrance  by  force.  Then 
Tokhtamysh  stated  that  it  was  not  with  the  people 
of  Moscow  the  Tartars  were  at  war,  but  only  with 
their  prince  and  his  companions,  inviting  those  who 
had  sought  refuge  in  the  Kremlin  to  come  out  and 
occupy  their  dwellings  where  they  would  not  be 
molested.  The  besieged  believed  him,  and,  laden 
with  presents  and  preceded  by  the  clergy,  they  went 
out  of  the  Kremlin  to  meet  the  enemy  as  friends. 
The  Tartars  at  once  fell  upon  them,  killed  Ostei 
and    the   other   leaders,   and   forced  a   way  into    the 

25 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

fortress.  The  defenders  were  demoralised,  "  they 
cried  out  like  feeble  women  and  tore  their  hair, 
making  no  attempt  even  to  save  themselves.  The 
Tartars  slew  without  mercy;  24,000  perished.  They 
broke  into  the  churches  and  treasuries,  pillaged  every- 
where, and  burned  a  mass  of  books,  papers  and 
whatever  they  could  not  otherwise  destroy  ;  not  a 
house  was  left  standing  save  the  few  built  of  stone." 

After  Tokhtamysh  withdrew  Dmitri  returned  and 
was  horrified  at  the  ruin  wrought.  He  is  said  to 
have  repented  of  his  victory  over  the  Tartars  at 
Kulikovo,  a  barren  victory  after  this  desolation,  and 
to  have  called  out  *'  Our  fathers  who  never  triumphed 
over  Tartars  were  less  unhap])y  than  we." 

Moscow  was  quickly  rebuilt.  When  Dmitri  died 
in  13^9  the  principality  was  the  largest  and  most 
thriving  of  the  states  in  the  north-east  of  Russia. 
As  the  Horde  withdrew  the  "Good  companions"  from 
Novgorod  devastated  the  country  round,  but  Vladimir 
and  Moscow  alike  in  having  a  Kremlin  on  a  hill, 
were  far  enough  away  from  the  Volga  to  escape  the 
attention  of  these  free-booters  from  the  north-west. 

Vasili,  the  son  of  Dmitri  Donskoi,  succeeded  his 
father,  and  twice  saw  his  territory  invaded  by  the 
Horde.  In  1392  he  bought  a  iarlikh  of  the  Tartars 
freeing  to  him  Moscow,  Nijni  and  Suzdal.  In  1395, 
to  escape  an  inroad  of  the  Tartars,  the  celebrated  ikon 
of  the  Virgin  (see  Frontispiece)  was  brought  from 
Vladimir  to  Moscow,  but  the  Tartars  did  not  venture 
so  far.  This  time  they  stopped  at  Eletz-on-the-Don, 
pillaged  Azov  —  where  much  Egyptian,  Venetian, 
Genoese,  Biscayan  and  other  merchandise  was  ware- 
housed—and returned  to  Tartary  sacking  Sarai  and 
Astrakhan  on  their  way  thither. 

During  these  turbulent  times  Moscow  increased  in 
importance.     The  two  years  of  peace  Dmitri  secured 
26 


Moscow  under  the  Mongols 

after  his  victory  at  Kulikov^he  used  to  strengthen  the 
defences.  Already,  in  1^37*  he  had  substituted  a 
wall  of  masonry  for  the  oldUwood  rampart  round  the 
Kremlin ;  now  handsome  gates  with  towers  were 
added.  Its  finest  church  at  this  period  was  that  of 
the  Transfiguration,  more  usually  styled  "  Spass  na 
Boru,"  which,  built  in  stone  in  1330,  had  been  con- 
siderably enlarged  and  a  monastery  attached ;  there 
were  the  cells  in  or  near  the  church  building,  vaults 
below  it  for  secreting  treasure,  a  hospital  for  the 
infirm,  and  a  cemetery  for  the  princes,  but  their 
tombs  were  subsequently  transferred  to  the  Arch- 
angelski  Sobor. 

Within  the  Kremlin,  or  near  by,  were  the  monasteries 
of  Chudof  (Miracles),  Vossnesenski  (Ascension), 
Bogoyavlenni  (Epiphany),  Rojdestvenski  (Nativity), 
St  Alexis,  St  Peter  the  Apostle,  of  Daniel,  Simon, 
and  Spasso-Preobrajenni  (the  Transfiguration).  To 
commemorate  the  withdrawal  of  Tamerlane,  Vasili 
founded  the  monastery  of  the  Sretenka  (Meeting). 
He  made  a  fosse  across  the  town  from  the  field  of 
Kuchko  to  the  river  Moskva,  and  later  surrounded  the 
town  with  a  stone  wall. 

A  strong  place  now ;  the  lesser  nobles,  cadets  of  the 
house  of  Rurik,  took  up  their  residence  in  Moscow 
and  shared  its  fortune. 

In  1 408  the  Lithuanians  aided  by  the  Tartars  laid 
siege  to  Moscow,  a  siege  which  is  memorable  from  the 
fact  that  cannons  were  then  first  used  in  its  defence, 
though  Mamai  had  brought  Genoese  gunners  against 
Dmitri  twenty  years  earlier.  Ediger  led  the  assault, 
and,  though  his  forces  had  to  retreat,  the  boyards  of 
Moscow  paid  to  him  3000  roubles  as  a  war  indemnity  ; 
the  Monastery  of  St  Sergius  at  Troitsa  was  burned,  the 
surrounding  country  pillaged  and  the  peasants  ruthlessly 
slaughtered. 

27 


:i-».--«.,>,*fl)->.1»-'.r.#^(|„,' 


11 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

It  cannot  be  said  that  the  first  Vasili  did  much  for 
Moscow.  He  was  in  retreat  at  Kostroma  when  the 
inhabitants  of  the  town,  led  by  **  Vladimir  the  Brave," 
successfully  defended  it;  both  pestilence  and  famine 
were  frequent  during  his  reign  of  thirty-six  years,  and 
at  his  death  the  succession  was  disputed. 

In   1 431   Yuri  attempted   to   revert  to  the  ancient 
custom  of  succession  of  the  eldest,  and   claimed  the 
throne  from  Vasili  II.,  the  son  of  Vasili  I.     To  avoid 
war  it  was  agreed  to  refer  the  matter  to  the  Horde 
for  settlement.     Vsevoloshski,  a  boyard  of  Moscow, 
advanced  the  most  potent  argument  on  behalf  of  Vasili. 
"My  Lord  Tsar,"  he  said  to  Ulu  Mahomet,  "let  me 
speak,  me,  the  slave  of  the  Grand  Prince.     My  master 
prays  for  the  throne,  which  is  thy  property,  having  no 
other  title  but  thy  protection,  thy  investiture  and  thy 
iarlikh.      Thou  art  master  and  can  dispose  of  it  at  thy 
pleasure.     My  lord,  the  Prince  Yuri  Dmitrovich,  my 
master's  uncle,  claims  the  throne  of  the  Grand  Prince 
by  the  act  and  will  of  his  father,  but  not  as  a  favour 
from  the  all  powerful."     This  flattery  had  a  suitable 
reward  ;  the  Khan  appointed  Vasili  to  the  throne,  and 
ordered  Yuri  to  lead  his  nephew's  horse  by  the  bridle. 
Vasili  II.  was  crowned  at  Moscow,  not  at  Vladimir, 
and  the  supremacy  of  Moscow  was  admitted.     Vasili 
was  to  have  married  a  daughter  of  Vsevoloshski,  but 
instead    married    a   grand-daughter    of   Vladimir    the 
Brave,    the    defender    of    Moscow.     The    ofl^ended 
boyard   went   over   to    the  side   of  Yuri   and   fanned 
his  resentment.     Yuri's  two  sons,  Vasili,  the  squint- 
eyed,   and    Chemiaki    were    present    at    the    marriage 
festivities    of    Vasili,    whose    mother,    the    Princess 
Sophia,  seeing  round  the  waist  of  the   young  Vasili 
a  belt  of  gold  that  had  belonged  to  Dmitri  Donskoi, 
there  and    then   seized  it   from   him.     The    brothers 
took    umbrage   at    this  open    aflront;  forthwith    they 
28 


<cv/^^^^? 


B5i 


h 


Moscons)  under  the  Mongols 

left  Moscow  and  induced  their  father  to  take  up 
arms. 

At  Kostroma,  Vasili  II.  fell  into  the  power  of  Yuri, 
who  spared  his  life  and  gave  him  Kostroma  as  an 
appanage,  betaking  himself  to  Moscow.  Thereupon  the 
inhabitants  of  Moscow  deserted  the  town  and  took  up 
residence  with  their  prince  in  Kostroma.  Owing  to 
the  popularity  of  Vasili  II.,  Yuri  was  powerless  and 
sent  to  him  at  Kostroma  inviting  him  to  return  to  his 
own.  On  his  return  the  people  crowded  round  him 
"  like  bees  round  their  queen."  Later,  Vasili,  the  squint- 
eyed,  fell  into  the  hands  of  Vasili  II.,  who  had  his 
eyes  put  out ;  then  at  once  repenting  the  act,  set  free 
his  brother  Chemiaki,  and  war  again  broke  out  between 
them.  Chemiaki  with  a  host  of  free  lances  "good 
companions  "  and  such  men  as  he  could  get  together 
besieged  Moscow.  Then  in  came  the  Tartar  horde 
and  Vasili  could  get  but  i  5,000  men  together  to  oppose 
them.  He  made  a  valiant  struggle,  but,  wounded  in 
fifteen  places,  he  was  taken  prisoner  to  Kazan. 

Moscow  was  in  despair :  Tver  insulted  her  and 
Chemiaki  intrigued  to  get  himself  made  prince.  Then 
the  Khan  suddenly  agreed  to  liberate  Vasili  II.  for  a 
small  ransom,  and  soon  the  prince  was  in  his  capital 
again.  He  went  forthwith  to  Troitsa  to  return  thanks 
for  his  escape.  During  his  absence,  Chemiaki  surprised 
the  Kremlin  and  there  captured  the  wife  and  mother 
of  Vasili  and  took  all  the  treasure.  Hurrying  after 
Vasili  to  Troitsa,  he  made  him  prisoner,  brought  him 
back  to  Moscow,  and  in  1446  put  out  his  eyes  in 
revenge  for  the  like  act  upon  his  brother  Vasili. 
Chemiaki,  some  time  afterwards,  left  Moscow  to  go 
against  the  Tartars ;  the  town  revolted  during  his 
absence  and  Vasili  was  once  more  restored  to  the 
throne,  which  as  "  Vasili  the  Blind "  he  held  until 
his  death  in  1462. 

31 


f- 


I'he  Story  of  Moscow 

It  is  not  easy  to  account  for  the  popularity  of  Vasili 
11. ;  possibly  the  detestation  in  which  Chemiaki  was 
held  made  the  mild  virtues  of  Vasili  more  prominent ; 
for  in  the  language  of  the  people,  a  "judgment  of 
Chemiaki "  is,  proverbially,  tantamount  to  a  crying 
wrong. 

Events   outside  Russia   strengthened  the   supremacy 
of   Moscow.      At   the    Council   of  Florence   (1439J 
Pope  Eugene  suggested  the  union   of  the  eastern  and 
western  churches,  and  amongst  the  many  representatives 
of    the   eastern    church    present     Isidor,    the    metro- 
politan of  Moscow,  agreed  to  the  proposal  and  signed 
the  act  of  union.     How  Mark,    Bishop  of  Ephesus, 
protested,  and  at  last  carried  the  Greeks  with  him  in 
repudiating  the  union,  is  no  part  of  this  history.      Isidor 
having  accepted,  introduced  the  Latin  cross,  made  use 
of  the   name    of  the    Pope    in    the    services   and    so 
astonished   the    Russians  that   Vasili    interfered.     He 
reproached  Isidor  for  his  bad  faith,  and  in  dismay  the 
prelate  fled  to  Rome.     In   1453  Mahomet  II.  entered 
Constantinople.      There    was    no   longer   a   Christian 
emperor  of  the  east,  and  Moscow  became  the  heir  of 
Constantinople    and    the    metropolis    of    orthodoxy. 
Ivan,   the  artist-monk  of  Constantinople,  brought  to 
Moscow   such  of  the    holy  relics  as   he  could   save, 
and,  what  is  more,  by  his  own  genius  impressed  upon 
the  Muscovite  priesthood  a  love  of  culture  to  which 
Moscow  had  hitherto  been  a  stranger. 

Ivan  III.,  styled  "The  Uniter  of  Russia,"  was 
twenty-two  years  of  age  when,  in  1462,  he  succeeded 
his  father  Vasili,  the  Blind.  He  continued  the  policy 
of  the  princes  of  Moscow  and  early  obtained  a  success 
against  the  Tartars  of  Kazan.  In  147 2  he  married 
Sophia,  a  daughter  of  Thomas  Paleologus,  a  brother  of 
the  last  emperor  of  Byzantium,  and  this  union,  with 
a  member  of  the  race  that  had  so  long  held  sway  over 

32 


Moscoiv  under  the  Mongols 

all  orthodox  Christianity,  greatly  influenced  his  policy. 
His  wife,  less  patient  than  the  Russians,  found  the 
Mongol  yoke  unbearable.  "  How  long  am  I  to  be 
the  slave  of  Tartars  ?  "  she  would  ask,  and  there  is 
little  doubt  that  it  is  to  her  urging  that  Ivan  became 
aggressive.  He  was  not  personally  courageous,  pre- 
ferring to  remain  in  Moscow,  and  allow  his  people  to 
fight  on  the  frontiers  of  Russia ;  when  forced  into  the 
field,  his  method  was  to  avoid  giving  battle  and  wear 
out  the  enemy  with  delays,  retreats,  and  puzzling, 
irritating  marches  and  counter-marches. 

In  1472  he  conquered  Perm;  in  1475  ^^  ^^* 
successful  against  Novgorod  the  Great;  in  1478  he 
openly  rebelled  against  the  Khan  ;  in  1499  he  pushed 
the  confines  of  Russia  to  Petchora  on  the  Arctic  Sea. 
He  was  a  puzzle  to  his  enemies,  gaining  victories  over 
Lithuanians,  Livonians  and  Siberians,  without  leaving 
the  Kremlin.  Stephen  of  Moldavia  said  of  him, 
"  Ivan  is  a  strange  man  ;  he  stays  quietly  at  home  yet 
triumphs  over  his  enemies,  whilst  1,  although  always 
on  horseback,  cannot  defend  my  own  country.'* 

Born  a  despot  he  was  initiated  into  the  mysteries 
of  autocratic  government  by  his  wife.  Cold,  cruel  and 
cunning,  he  brooked  no  opposition  where  he  thought 
he  could  triumph  ;  was  an  arrant  coward  whenever  the 
issue  was  doubtful. 

When  he  vanquished  Novgorod,  he  brought  the 
boyards  to  Moscow,  and  settled  them  there ;  three 
years  later  he  tortured  some,  and  put  others  to  death. 
He  was  relentless  in  punishing  rebellion,  no  matter 
what  the  rank  of  the  offender.  He  whipped  Prince 
Oukhtomski,  and  ordered  the  archimandrite  of  a 
monastery  to  be  flogged ;  mutilated  the  counsellors 
of  his  son,  cowed  the  boyards,  burnt  alive  Poles 
who  had  conspired  against  him  ;  pillaged  the  German 
traders  of  goods  to  the  value  of  ;^40,ooo,  and  played 

c  33 


t    I 


\l\ 


h 


If 

li 


The  Story  of  Moscoiv 

the  tyrant  so  thoroughly  that  even  when  he  slept  no 
boyard  "  durst  open  his  mouth  in  whispers "  for  fear 
of  disturbing  his  master's  slumber. 

Towards  the  Great  Horde  he  was  both  respectful 
and  recalcitrant.  He  repulsed  the  invasions  of  ad- 
venturers into  his  territory ;  avoided  the  payment  of 
tribute  by  sending  costly  presents  regularly.  But  in 
1478,  when  Khan  Akhmet  sent  envoys  with  his 
image  to  receive  tribute,  Ivan  openly  rebelled ;  put  all 
the  messengers  to  death,  save  one ;  trampled  the  image 
of  the  Khan  under  foot,  spat  on  the  edict,  and  allowed 
this  news  to  reach  the  Khan.  When  the  enraged 
Tartars  advanced  towards  Moscow,  Ivan  wished  to 
remain  in  the  city,  but  the  inhabitants  would  have  no 
shirking.  "  What !  he  has  overtaxed  us,  refused  to 
pay  tribute  to  the  Horde,  and  now  that  he  has  enraged 
the  Khan,  though  he  does  not  want  to  fight,  he  must 
— and  shall."  Ivan  journeyed  about  from  one  town 
to  another,  returning  to  Moscow  on  various  pretexts. 
He  wished  to  consult  the  clergy,  the  boyards,  his 
mother,  anybody.  The  answer  was  always  the  same, 
"  March  against  the  enemy  !  "  Forced  to  go  South, 
he  wished  to  send  his  son  back  to  Moscow,  but  the 
young  Ivan  disobeyed. 

Archbishop  Vassian  urged  Ivan  to  go  to  the  front. 
"  Is  it  part  of  mortals  to  fear  death  ?  We  cannot 
escape  destiny  ;  a  good  shepherd  will,  at  need,  lay  down 
his  life  for  his  flock."  But  this  prompting  did  not 
suffice.  Vassian  at  last  lost  patience,  wrote  a  bellicose 
letter  to  Ivan,  recounting  the  deeds  of  his  heroic 
ancestors,  from  Igor  Sviatoslaf  to  Dmitri  Donskoi. 
Ivan  assured  him  that  this  letter  "  filled  his  heart  with 
joy,  himself  with  courage  and  strength  "  ;  but  another 
fortnight  passed,  and  Ivan  had  not  advanced  a  step. 

When  at  last  the  two  armies  came  within  sight  of 
each  other,  the  streams  Oogra  and  Oka  separated  them. 

34 


Moscoiv  under  the  Mongols 

They  insulted  each  other  bravely  across  the  water,  but 
not  daring  to  ford,  waited  until  the  river  should  be 
frozen.  When  this  happened,  Ivan  at  once  gave 
orders  for  his  forces  to  withdraw.  Seeing  the  army 
in  motion  an  inexplicable  panic  seized  the  Tartars,  and 
they  hastened  away.  Both  armies  were  in  flight,  and 
no  one  pursuing.  In  such  pitiful  fashion  did  the 
Mongol  supremacy  terminate.  For  more  than  three 
centuries  Moscow  had  acknowledged  the  rule  of  the 
Golden  Horde,  now  a  thoroughly  demoralised  rabble. 
The  remnants  in  their  flight  south  were  opposed  by 
the  Nogay  and  Krim  Tartars,  and  defeated.  The 
Khan  Akhmet  was  then  put  to  death  by  his  own  men. 

Ivan  next  sent  his  voievodes  or  "  war-leaders " 
against  Kazan;  in  148 7  they  took  it  and  made 
Alegam,  its  commander,  a  prisoner.  In  his  boyhood 
Ivan  had  been  imprisoned  in  Kazan  by  his  Tartar 
enemies,  and  so  now  was  able  to  turn  the  tables  on 
them  completely. 

His  next  act  exemplifies  his  statesmanship.  Instead 
of  annexing  Kazan  to  Moscow  he  gave  the  crown  to 
the  nephew  of  his  powerful  ally,  the  Khan  of  the 
Krim  Tartars.  This  Khan  could  not  ask  for  the 
release  of  Alegam,  because  he  was  an  enemy  of  his 
own  nephew,  the  newly  installed  ruler  of  Kazan ;  but 
the  leaders  of  the  Khivan  and  Nogay  Tartars,  who 
were  related  to  him,  felt  that  Islam  had  been  wronged, 
and  despatched  an  envoy  to  Moscow  praying  for 
Alegam's  release.  Ivan  declined,  but  did  so  graciously, 
and  gave  no  offence.  He  made  the  envoys  presents, 
and  sent  to  their  leaders  other  presents,  much  foreign 
cloth  and  trinkets  for  their  wives,  whom  he  styled  his 
sisters.  Ivan  did  not  treat  directly  with  the  envoys, 
making  use  of  the  western  method  of  conducting 
negotiations  through  an  officer  of  his  court. 

Ivan  took  the  two-headed  eagle  as  the  arms  of  his 

35 


The  Story  of  Moscow 


}^ 


country.  Its  early  form  is  still  to  be  seen  on  the  wall 
of  Granovitaia  palace  in  the  Kremlin.  The  device  of 
St  George  and  the  Dragon,  which  Yuri  Dolgoruki 
the  founder  of  Moscow  used,  was  from  this  time  more 
closely  associated  with  the  city  of  Moscow,  and  the 
eagle  taken  as  the  arms  of  the  ruler. 

When  it  became  necessary  for  Ivan  to  appoint  his 
successor  he  hesitated,  and  at  last  made  choice  of 
Dmitri,  the  son  of  Ivan,  his  eldest  child,  then  dead. 
His  wife  advanced  the  claims  of  her  own  son  Vasili ; 
his  daughter-in-law,  Ivan's  widow,  her  own  son. 
Having  proclaimed  Dmitri  heir,  he  threw  Vasili  into 
prison  and  degraded  his  wife  ;  then  he  changed  his 
mind,  imprisoned  his  daughter-in-law  and  grandson, 
and  proclaimed  Vasili  his  heir.  In  1505  he  died, 
and  Vasili  was  at  once  crowned  ruler  of  Moscow. 


36 


u 


CHAPTER   IV 

Moscozv  of  the  Princes 

**  As  pearls  thy  thousand  crowns  appear, 
Thy  hands  a  diamond  sceptre  hold, 
Thy  domes,  thy  steeples,  bright  and  clear 
Seem  sunny  rays  in  eastern  gold." — Dmitriev. 

X/ASILI  III.  succeeded  his  father  and  reigned  in 
Moscow  for  nearly  thirty  years.  From  the 
historical  point  of  view,  he  is  unfortunate,  as  he  followed 
a  sovereign  recognised  as  "Great,"  whose  conquests 
and  innovations  changed  the  destiny  of  Moscow,  and 
was  succeeded  by  a  ruler,  who,  by  his  barbarities,  won 
for  himself  the  surname  of  "Terrible.**  Vasili  III. 
was  not  a  warrior,  and  when  he  made  war  it  was  by 
preference  against  Slavonic  peoples  in  the  west.  His 
chief  delight  was  in  building :  churches,  monasteries, 
city-walls,  palaces — none  of  these  came  amiss  to  him  ; 
he  constructed  some  of  all,  leaving  Moscow  much 
stronger,  richer  and  more  beautiful  than  he  found  it. 
He  made  the  most  of  such  services  as  the  Italian 
masters  could  render,  but  in  those  times,  all  that  was 
done  in  Moscow  in  any  one  age  appears  to  have  been 
executed  at  the  command  of  the  reigning  prince.  The 
houses  of  the  nobility  have  all  disappeared,  and  to  the 
date  of  Vasili  III.  there  appear  to  have  been  no  founders 
of  churches  in  Moscow,  other  than  the  princes.  Not 
that  these  necessarily  found  the  labour  or  material ;  as 
often  as  not  a  church  was  built  from  the  proceeds  of  a 

37 


~-'~*«*'''-*<^ 


'^ 


i 


The  Story  of  Moscoiv 

fine  laid  upon  some  town  or  government  at  the  pleasure 
of  the  prince. 

Vasili  was  the  first  to  build  a  stone  palace  in  the 
Kremlin,  that  known  as  the  Granovitaia,  which  is 
still  standing.  But  Herberstein  wrote  that  Vasili  would 
not  live  in  it,  preferring  his  old  palace  of  wood. 

During  his  reign  the  Tartars  got  as  near  Moscow  as 
the  Sparrow  Hills ;  there  they  sacked  the  royal  palace 
and  cellars  containing   large  stores   of  mead.     They 
became  intoxicated  with  the  liquor  and  advanced  no 
further,  but  the  leader  obtained  from  Vasili  a  treaty  in 
which  he  acknowledged  the  sovereignty  of  the  Horde 
and    promised    yearly   tribute.      Vasili's  voievodes  at 
Riazan,  thinking  the  terms  shameful,  intercepted  the 
returning  Tartars,  routed  them,  and  got  back  the  treaty. 
The  following  year,  goaded  to  action,  Vasili  got  an 
army  together  and  went  out  towards  the  Khan,  challeng- 
ing him  to  battle.     The  Khan  answered  that  he  knew 
the  way  into  Russia,  and  was  not  in  the  habit  of  asking 
his  enemies  when  he  should  fight.     In  revenge  for  this 
insult,  Vasili  established  a  fair  at  Makharief,  on  the 
Volga  ;  it  ruined  the  mart  of  Kazan  and  was  subse- 
quently moved  to  Nijni-Novgorod,  where  it  is  still 
held  yearly. 

Vasili  married  first,  Solomonia  Saburov,  but,  as  after 
twenty  years  of  married  life  she  had  no  son,  he  forced 
her  to  take  the  veil  and  married  Helena  Glinski,  of 
Lithuania.  This  gave  great  oflPence  to  the  Church ; 
when  he  sent  specially  to  the  highest  authority  on 
the  technical  question,  Mark,  Patriarch  of  Jerusalem, 
is  reported  to  have  made  the  following  remarkable 
prediction : — 

"  Shouldst  thou  contract  a  second  marriage  thou  shalt 
have  a  wicked  son  ;  thy  states  shall  become  a  prey  to  terrors 
and  tears;  rivers  of  blcod  shall  flow;  the  heads  of  the  mighty 
shall  fall ;  thy  cities  shall  be  devoured  by  flames." 

38 


Mosco*w  of  the  Princes 

Vasili  disregarded  the  decision  of  the  Church  and 
married  a  most  able  and  enlightened  woman,  who  had 
the  foresight  to  surround  the  Kitai  Gorod  with  a  wall 
of  good  masonry,  and  it  is  said,  named  that  part  of  the 
town  after  a  similarly  designated  enclosure  in  her  native 
place.    She  bore  Vasili  two  sons,  Ivan,  the  Tsarevich, 


KITAI    GO  ROD,    ILYINKA    GATE 

who  was  later  the  "terrible  '*  Tsar,  succeeding  to  the 
throne  in  1533,  when  but  three  years  of  age.  The 
younger  son,  Yuri,  fared  badly  at  the  hands  of  his 
cruel  brother. 

The  Moscow  of  the  Princes  was  of  wood,  and  the 

39 


I    1 


The  Story  oj^  Moscow 

vestiges  remaining  are  unimportant.  Some  of  the  later 
buildings,  as  the  palace  of  the  Terem  and  towers  of 
the  Kremlin  wall,  have  been  built  in  the  style  of  the 
wooden  erections  they  replaced  ;  but  it  is  not  easy  to 
picture  Moscow  as  it  was  before  Ivan's  Itali  n  work- 
men raised  their  walls  of  brick  and  stone. 

The  town  was  of  great  size;  in  1520  it  contained 
41,500  dwellings  and  100,000  inhabitants.  Its  cir- 
cumference was  nearly  twelve  miles.  The  Grand 
Prince  and  his  relations  lived  in  the  Kremlin  ;  so  did 
a  few  of  the  richest  and  most  powerful  nobles.  In  the 
Kitai  Gorod  lived  the  traders,  the  wealthy  boyards 
and  foreigners.  The  Bielo  Gorod,  "  White "  or 
Free  Town,  was  occupied  by  boyards,  merchants  and 
privileged  citizens ;  in  the  outer  ring  lived  the  artisans 
and  labourers.  The  churches  and  chapels  were 
numerous.  Ivan  Kalita  built  ten  when  there  were 
already  eighteen  in  the  town,  in  1337  ;  in  the  reign 
of  Vasili  III.  there  were  as  many  monasteries  and 
nunneries,  and  upwards  of  three  score  churches  and 
chapels. 

The  first  dwelling  in  the  Kremlin  was  the  Prince's 
habitation,  originally  called  the  Prince's  apartment, 
which  served  only  as  a  pietl  a  terre  for  the  Prince 
when  passing  through.  When  Moscow  became  a 
place  of  residence  then  a  house  was  put  up  near 
where  the  Great  Palace  now  is.     Then  followed  the 

usual   dependences ;    including    a    prison    or   dungeon. 
Even  at  that  early  date  the  Russian  carpenters  were 

able  craftsmen  ;    how  expert  they  afterwards  became 

the  wonderful  wooden  palaces  and  churches  of  Russia 

accurately  demonstrate. 

The  Princes  of  Moscow  were  not  extravagant,  their 

palaces  consisting  of  four  chambers,  en  suite — the  one 

most  distant  from  the  entrance  was  the  sleepmg-room  ; 

then,  adjoining  it,  the  oratory  or  private  chapel ;  the 
40 


Moscow  of  the  Princes 

room  for  living  or  affairs  of  the  town,  the  anti- 
chamber  ;  the  vestibule ;  add  kitchens  and  domestic 
rooms  on  a  lower  floor,  and  the  early  palaces  of  the 
Russian  princes  is  complete. 

Vasili  III.  required  no  more ;  his  palace  in  the 
Kremlin  consisted,  on  the  bel  etage,  of  the  vestibule, 
an  anti- chamber,  and  two  rooms.  In  a  separate 
building,  reached  by  a  corridor  or  covered  staircase, 
the  bathroom  and  storerooms.  Above  the  bel  etage^ 
either  a  large  open  loft,  or  a  belvedere  pierced  with 
windows  on  all  sides  and  communicating  with  the 
terrace.  The  apartments  reserved  for  the  children, 
and  for  relations  of  the  sovereign,  were  in  separate 
buildings  offering  similar  accommodation. 

The  roof  was  invariably  ornamented  with  carved 
wood-work  and  with  gay  colours.  The  distinctive 
colour  for  the  windows  of  the  Terem  was  red. 
Further  ornamentation  consisted  in  shaping  the  roof 
conical,  making  it  arched  or  in  superposing  cones  on 
two  arches ;  these  were  furnished  with  small  grills 
and  covered  with  shingles. 

Each  house  had  its  private  chapel,  so  the  agglomera- 
tion of  connected  buildings  that  constituted  a  palace 
in  the  Kremlin  in  old  days  contained  many  chapels, 
and  they  now  number  more  than  a  dozen.  Apart 
from  these  private  chapels  within  the  palace,  the 
Princes  used  the  churches  for  the  safer  keeping  of 
their  treasure. 

Ivan  III.  used  the  Church  of  St  Lazarus  now  in 
the  palace  for  his  treasury;  his  wife,  the  Church  of 
St  John  the  Baptist,  near  the  Borovitski  Gate.  To 
oteal  from  the  church  was  sacrilege,  to  take  from  the 
house  of  even  the  Tsar,  simply  robbery.  The  churches 
were  used  as  treasuries  also  by  the  nobles,  and  doubt- 
less much  of  the  church-plate  throughout  Russia  was 
originally  deposited  for  safe  keeping,  whilst  the  owners 

41 


( 


'l  I 


r  I 


I' 


The  Story  of  Mosconju 

went  against  Tartars  or  Livonians.  All  the  churches 
were  rich,  and  all,  time  after  time,  were  spoiled  by 
invaders ;  thus  hiding-places  were  made  in  or  near 
all  the  old  churches. 

Near    the    residence    of  the    ruler    were   the    very 
similar  dwellings  of  the  minor  princes.     In  the  days 
of  Vasili  III.,  of  Grand  Dukes  even,  for,  as  Moscow 
conquered  other  principalities,  their  former  rulers  were 
brought  to    the    Kremlin    and    lived    under  the    sur- 
veillance of  the  "  Grand  Prince  of  all  the  Russias," 
rendering  him  such   military  service  as  he  demanded. 
In  time  these   nobles   became  an   element  of  danger, 
intriguing   for  the  succession    and    quarrelling    among 
themselves  for  precedence.     Vasili   III.  was  the  first 
ruler  to  treat  them  harshly  and  he  spared  none,  not 
even  his  own  near  relatives  if  he  thought  they  aspired 
to  the  succession.     To    render    them    less    dangerous 
they  were  not  employed  as  war-leaders,  men  of  lower 
rank,  the  drujni  of  the  Tsar  and  other  princes  being 
entrusted  with  command  in  the  field  and  acting  also 
as  governors  of  provinces.      Burned   down   time  after 
time  and  usually  put  up  again  in  wood,  Moscow,  with 
all  its  conflagrations,  was  nearly  three  centuries  before 
it  contained  a  dwelling-house  of  brick  or  stone,  and 
more   than   two   before  enclosed   with   a   wall.     The 
reason  being  that  stones  of  any  kind  were  scarce   in 
the    neighbourhood    of    Moscow,    whilst   wood    was 
plentiful. 

With  a  palace  in  the  Kremlin  the  rulers  soon  set 
to  work  to  have  palaces  elsewhere.  The  one  at  the 
Sparrow  Hills  seems  to  have  been  most  often  resorted 
to  in  the  early  days,  but  with  the  advent  to  Russia 
of  Sophia  Paleologus  and  the  introduction  of  western 
customs,  not  only  was  the  single  palace  found  in- 
adequate, but  Ivan's  successors  all  built  dwellings 
in  the  forest  or  in  villages  near  Moscow  where  they 
42 


Moscow  of  the  Princes 

could  go  for  sport,   or  when   driven   from   town   by 
fire,  pestilence  or  revolt. 

The  most  pressing  need  of  the  rulers  of  Moscow 
when  they  entered  into  relations  with  the  west  was  a 
hall  for  entertaining  visitors.      It  was  for  this  purpose 
that  the  Granovitaia  (chequered)  Palace  was  constructed 
by  the   Italian    workmen    Ivan   induced   to  work  in 
Moscow  for  the  then  high  wages  of  ten  roubles  a  month. 
It  was  at  this  period  that  the  Tsars  began  to  evolve  a 
special  court  etiquette.     Previously  anyone  who  could 
force  his  way  through  the  throng  by  whom  the  princes 
were  surrounded  might  speak  with  them.     From  the 
first   the   court  etiquette,  though    not   elaborate,   was 
firmly  insisted  upon.     Those  who  came  to  the  palace 
had    to   dismount    at   some   distance  from   the  grand 
entrance,  and  approach  it  on  foot.     This  accounts  for 
the  joy  of  Bowes,  the  English  envoy,  who  rode  right 
up  to  the  grand  entrance  before  dismounting.     Those 
oflicers  sent  to  meet  foreign  envoys  had  orders  not  to 
be  the  first  to  dismount ;  if  the  envoy  knew  the  etiquette 
the  parties  on  meeting  would  sit  for  hours  facing  each 
other,  then  agree  to  dismount  simultaneously.    Herber- 
stein  held  back  after  throwing  his  feet  out  of  the  stirrups, 
so  was  last  to  touch  earth,  and  he  counts  this  a  gain  to 
his  master.     Common  people  and   lower  nobles  were 
not  allowed  to  pass  the  Tsar's  residence  covered,  and 
"  must  uncover  as  soon  as  it  is  within  view." 

"  The  city  is  built  of  wood  and  tolerably  large,  and  at  a 
distance  appears  larger  than  it  really  is,  for  the  gardens  and 
spacious  courtyards  in  every  house  make  a  great  addition  to 
the  size  of  the  town,  which  is  again  greatly  increased  by  the 
houses  of  the  smiths  and  other  artificers  who  use  fires.  These 
houses  extend  in  a  long  row  at  the  end  of  the  city,  interspersed 
with  fields  and  meadows.  Moreover  not  far  from  the  city  are 
some  small  houses,  and  the  other  side  of  the  river  some  villas 
where,  a  few  yeirs  ago,  the  Tsar  built  a  new  city  for  his 
courtiers,  who  had  the  privilege  of  the  Tsar  to  drink  at  all 

43 


I 


i! 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

seasons,  which  was  forbidden  to  most,  who  were  free  to  drink 
only  at  Eastertide  and  Christmas.  For  that  reason  the  Nali, 
or  drinkers,  separated  themselves  from  intercourse  with  the 
rest  of  the  inhabitants  to  avoid  corrupting  them  by  their  mode 
of  living.  Not  far  from  the  city  are  some  monasteries,  which 
of  themselves  appear  like  a  great  city  to  persons  viewing  them 
from  a  distance." — Herbentein. 

In  addition  to  the  gilded  domes  of  its  cathedrals,  and 
the  bright  red  roofs  of  its  palaces,  during  the  reign  of 
Vasili  III.  Moscow  commenced  to  accumulate  other 
ornamental  work  quite  as  wondrous  to  the  pilgrims  from 
other  Russian  towns.  Aleviso  of  Florence  is  unusually 
credited  with  the  work  upon  the  doors  and  lintels  of 
the  old  churches  within  the  palace,  the  porches  of  the 
Vossnesenski,  Blagovieshchenski,  and  other  Cathedrals 
within  the  Kremlin.  The  gilded  and  embossed  metal 
work  of  the  doors,  the  carved  and  bright-coloured 
columns  and  lintels,  impressed  visitors  with  the  wealth 
of  Moscow  since  the  precious  metals  were  so  lavishly 
employed  for  merely  decorative  purposes.  There  are 
not  many  specimens  of  the  work  of  this  period  still  in 
existence,  such  as  remain  are  now  for  the  most  part 
preserved  ivith'm  the  palace  instead  of  being,  as  formerly, 
exposed  to  the  weather ;  but  practically  the  whole  of 
the  wooden  Moscow  of  the  Princes  was  destroyed  by 
fires  during  the  reign  of  Ivan  IV. 


44 


TEREM- -ENTRANCE  TO  CHAPEL  OF  ST  LAZARUS 


45 


< 


\ .  i 


CHAPTER  V 


Ivan  the  Terrible 

"  A  right  Scythian,  full  of  readie  wisdom,  cruell,  bloudye, 
mercilesse." — Horsey. 

V40ST  conspicuous  of  all  the  monuments  of  the 
past  Moscow  contains,  is  the  great  weird  building 
familiarly  known  as  the  church  of  Vasili  Blajenni ;  as 
monstrous  and  impressive  is  the  era  that  produced  it. 
The  half  century  during  which  Ivan  the  Terrible 
reigned  over  Muscovy  is  a  unique  period  in  the  history 
of  Russia.  And  not  that  of  Russia  only,  for  in  no 
country  at  any  time  have  so  many  and  diverse  outrages 
been  perpetrated  at  one  man's  command.  Disasters 
resulting  from  human  ambition  and  folly  sully  the 
history  of  every  land,  but  all  histories  are  spotless  in 

comparison  with  that  of  Moscow  under  its  first  Tsar 

a  creature  of  unparalleled  ferocity  and  inconceivable 
wickedness. 

Ivan  was  the  son  of  the  crafty  Vasili  Ivanovich  in 
his  dotage  ;  of  Helena  Glinski,  a  fiery-natured  Lithu- 
anian woman,  passionate  as  a  Spaniard,  reckless  as  a 
Tartar.  But  if  his  parentage  was  unpromising  his 
upbringing  was  worse.  He  and  his  mother  had  many 
enemies,  the  members  of  princely  houses  in  vassalage 
in  Moscow  but  with  aspirations  to  the  throne.  These 
men,  mostly  relations  of  the  Tsar,  were  insistent  upon 
the  rules  of  pi  -cedence,  both  for  the  gratification  of 
their  own  vanity,  and  as  of  possible  importance  in  the 

47 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

event  of  a  Tsar  dying  without  direct  heir.  For  this 
reason  all  the  Tsars  were  merciless  towards  their 
relatives  on  their  father's  side,  and  looked  for  help 
from  the  relations  of  their  mother  and  wife,  who  had 
most  to  gain  from  the  succession  being  maintained  in  a 
direct  line. 

Helena,  as  regent,  appears  to  have  governed  well. 
She  did  not  marry  again,  thus  the  rights  of  Ivan  and 
his  brother  Yuri  were  not  endangered  by  her.  Her 
lover,  Kniaz  Telepniev,  for  a  time  kept  at  bay  the 
rival  factions  of  the  more  powerful  nobles,  and  possibly 
was  instrumental  in  thwarting  the  plots  of  the  Glinski. 
At  Helena's  command  two  of  her  relatives  were  exe- 
cuted for  conspiring  against  the  infant  Tsar.  She 
enclosed  the  Kitai  Gorod  with  a  wall  of  stone ;  im- 
proved the  defences  of  Moscow  in  other  ways,  gave 
the  people  a  new  coinage,  founded  monasteries,  built 
churches,  and  continued  the  policy  of  the  rulers  of 
Moscow.  Five  years  after  her  husband's  death  she  died 
suddenly,  of  poison  it  is  said,  and  the  rumour  may  be 
credited. 

In  1538,  Ivan,  then  in  his  eighth  year,  and  his 
brother  Yuri,  his  junior  by  eighteen  months,  were  left 
to  the  mercies  of  the  most  powerful  factions  about  the 
court.  They  were  neglected ;  Ivan  himself  said  of 
this  period,  "  we  two  were  treated  as  strangers  :  even 
as  the  children  of  beggars  are  served.  We  were  ill 
clothed,  cold,  and  often  went  hungry." 

Jealous  of  each  other  the  courtiers  would  not  allow 
the  princes  to  attach  themselves  to  anyone.  If  Ivan 
felt  drawn  to  anyone,  or  any  person  took  notice  of  him, 
all  the  others  combined  to  separate  the  two. 

The  Shooiskis  were  then  the  most  powerful  family, 
and  Shooiski  treated  Ivan  with  scant  consideration. 
His  tutors  encouraged  him  to  ride  at  full  speed  through 
the  streets  and  try  to  knock  down  the  old  and  feeble ; 

48 


Ivan  the  Terrible 

they  allowed  him  to  have  'animals  tortured  for  his 
diversion,  and  laughed  with  him  at  their  plight  when 
flung  from  the  roof  of  the  palace.  Ivan  learned  to 
read,  and  spelled  through  all  the  books  he  could 
obtain.  From  these  old  chronicles, — from  those  of 
the  Kings  of  Israel,  to  the  doings  of  his  own  ancestors 
— he  seems  to  have  obtained  the  idea  of  the  powers  of 
sovereignty.  A  close  observer  he  noticed  that  although 
ordinarily  he  was  treated  as  of  little  account,  when  any 
act  of  state  had  to  be  done  he  was  always  summoned 
to  give  the  command.  Young  as  he  was,  Ivan  knew 
his  importance.  One  day,  when  he  was  thirteen  years 
old,  he  went  out  sporting  with  Gluiski,  and  Gluiski 
incited  him  to  repress  the  arrogance  of  Shooiski.  Ivan 
did  it  by  having  Shooiski  pulled  out  into  the  street  and 
worried  to  death  there  and  then  by  Gluiski's  hounds. 

From  that  time  Ivan  treated  all  with  cruelty.  In 
his  eighteenth  year  he  arrogated  to  himself  the  title  of 
Tsar — the  name  by  which  all  great  rulers  were  desig- 
nated in  the  old  Slavonic  books  he  had  read.  In  the 
same  year,  i  547,  he  married  Anastasia  Romanof,  and 
in  that  year  the  inhabitants  of  Moscow,  tired  of  his 
cruelties,  repeatedly  fired  the  town.  In  April  the 
merchants'  stores  were  fired,  probably  by  robbers  intent 
upon  gain  ;  the  fire  spread,  destroying  the  stores  of  the 
Tsar,  the  monastery  of  the  Epiphany,  and  most  of  the 
houses  in  the  Kitai  Gorod.  On  the  20th  of  the 
same  month  the  streets  of  the  artisans  along  the  Yauza 
suffered,  -ind  on  the  21st  June,  during  a  high  wind, 
a  fire  started  on  the  far  side  of  the  Neglinnaia,  in  the 
Arbat,  and  this  spread  to  the  Kremlin  and  destroyed 
there  the  whole  of  the  wooden  buildings.  The  in- 
habitants could  save  nothing,  and  the  night  was  made 
more  hideous  by  frequent  explosions  as  the  fire  reached 
one  powder  magazine  and  another.  The  palaces,  the 
tribunals,  the  treasuries,  armouries,  warehouses,  all  were 

D  49 


I 


The  Story  of  Moscoiv 

destroyed.  All  books,  deeds,  pictures  and  ikons  were 
lost,  with  few  exceptions.  The  metropolitan,  the  aged 
Macarius,  was  praying  in  the  cathedral  and  refused  to 
leave ;  he  was  forcibly  removed,  placed  in  a  basket 
and  lowered  from  the  Kremlin  wall  near  the  Tainitski 
gate ;  the  rope  broke,  he  fell  to  the  ground,  and  was 
taken  more  dead  than  alive  to  the  Novo  Spasski 
Monastery.  There  was  not  time  to  remove  the  Holy 
ikons.  The  fire  after  destroying  the  roof  of  the 
cathedral  burnt  out,  and  the  celebrated  ikon  of  the 
Virgin  of  Vladimir  was  saved. 

The  ruins  smouldered  for  a  week.  Seventeen 
hundred  perished  in  the  flames.  The  Tsar  withdrew 
to  the  Sparrow  Hills  so  as  not  to  see  the  distress  of 
the  people.  The  survivors,  their  beards  burnt,  their 
faces  blackened,  fought  among  the  embers  for  the 
vestiges  of  what  had  been  theirs.  Church  and  court 
alike  forsook  the  spot. 

An  earnest  priest,  Sylvester,  forced  himself  upon  the 
terrified  Tsar,  upbraided  him  for  his  excesses,  and 
exhorted  him  to  lead  a  better  life.  Ivan,  always  an 
arrant  coward,  now  completely  unnerved,  at  once  came 
under  the  influence  of  the  priest.  He  took  as  his 
counsellor  one  Adashef,  a  man  of  good  repute  and 
some  wisdom.  For  thirteen  years  he  and  Sylvester 
administered  the  law  and  dictated  the  policy  of  the 
country.  In  Anastasia  they  had  an  able  assistant  and 
firm  friend.  Their  first  act  was  directed  towards 
limiting  the  power  of  the  Tsar;  at  their  behest  he 
called  together  an  assembly  of  the  people  to  advise 
him.  They  compiled  a  code  of  laws,  the  Sudebnik, 
and  the  Stoglaf,  this  last  the  decrees  of  the  council 
(Zemstvo)  held  at  Moscow  in  1551,  and  shortly 
afterwards  Sylvester  issued  his  "  Domostroi  " — house- 
hold law,  teaching  how  to  live  as  Godfearing  men  and 
prove  good   husbandmen.     The  Tsar,  earnest  in   his 

50 


Ivan  the  Terrible 

new  role,  paid  great  attention  to  his  spiritual  advisers. 
When  twenty-one  he  exhorted  them  to  "Thunder 
in  mine  ears  the  voice  of  God  th^.t  my  soul  may 
live.*' 

In  1552  he  was  persuaded  to  lead  an  expedition 
against  the  Tartars  of  Kazan.  The  army  was  strong 
and  well  equipped.  With  wonderful  foresight,  a 
neighbouring  town  had  been  well  stocked  with  pro- 
visions and  was  used  as  a  base  for  the  besiegers. 
After  a  stubborn  resistance  Ivan's  army  of  150,000 
took  the  town,  and  slaughtered  the  defenders.  On 
this  occasion  Ivan  is  said  to  have  displayed  consider- 
able courage,  and  when  he  saw  the  bodies  of  the 
slain  Tartars,  to  have  regretted  their  death,  saying, 
"for  though  of  another  faith  they  are  human  beings 
even  as  ourselves." 

Too  soon  he  returned  to  Moscow,  and  the  newly- 
conquered  province  rebelled.  Ivan  then  was  very 
ill,  "a  fever  so  great  all  thought  him  at  the  point 
of  death."  Ivan  thought  his  last  hour  was  at  hand 
and  summoned  the  nobles  to  take  the  oath  of  fealty 
to  his  son  Dmitri,  whom  he  nominated  his  successor. 
Some  refused,  others  hesitated :  Zakharin- Yurief  alone, 
was  earnest  and  ready  in  his  allegiance.  He  was  a 
near  kinsman  of  the  Tsarina  and  so,  more  than  any, 
was  interested  in  the  welfare  of  Dmitri.  Others 
intrigued  for  the  succession.  The  Tsar  lying  helpless 
on  his  couch  heard  the  boyards  and  counsellors  dis- 
cussing their  plans  in  the  adjoining  apartment.  Even 
Sylvester  and  his  trusted  counsellor  Alexis  Adashef, 
favoured  th*  succession  of  Vladimir,  Ivan's  cousin. 

Ivan  recovered,  but  for  a  time  he  acted  as  though 
he  had  forgotten  what  he  overheard  on  his  sick  bed. 
He  never  forgave.  His  wife,  Anastasia,  also  with- 
drew her  frienaship  from  those  who  had  opposed  her 
son's  succession. 

51 


I 


I!. 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

Then  Ivan  made  a  visit  to  the  monastery  at  Bielo 
Ozersk  —  the  White  Lake  —  and  there  he  saw  the 
aged  Vassian,  the  old  counsellor  of  his  father,  who 
gave  him  advice  contrary  to  that  so  earnestly  and 
frequently  dinned  into  his  ears  by  Sylvester  and 
Adashef.  "  If  you  wish  to  become  absolute  mon- 
arch," said  Vassian,  "seek  no  counsellor  wiser  than 
yourself.  Never  take  advice  from  any :  instead,  give 
it.  Command,  never  obey.  Then  will  you  become 
a  sovereign  in  all  tmth." 

This  advice  pleased  Ivan.  "  My  father  himself," 
he  answered,  "  could  not  have  given  wiser  counsel." 

Ivan  could  wait  for  his  triumph  over  his  associates. 
He  went  now  to  the  Volga  again,  completed  the 
conquest  of  Kazan,  and  his  troops  pressed  on  as  far 
as  Astrakhan,  which  they  took  after  slight  resistance. 

In  Moscow  Ivan  kept  the  grand-dukes,  princes, 
and  boyards  his  nearest  relatives  ;  his  voievodes,  or 
military  leaders,  were  men  of  good  birth,  but  with  no 
claim  on  the  succession.  Under  the  administration 
of  Adashef,  the  outlying  parts  of  the  Tsar's  dominions 
were  so  effectually  governed  that  when  the  English 
ships  first  appeared  on  the  White  Sea,  Chancellor  was 
not  allowed  to  trade,  or  penetrate  into  the  interior 
of  the  country,  until  the  permission  of  the  Tsar  had 
been  received  from  Moscow. 

In  1 560  Anastasia  died,  and  Ivan  fretted  under  the 
constant  surveillance  of  Sylvester.  He  was  always  at 
hand,  entreating  the  Tsar  to  shew  mercy,  and  to  live 
straightly.  Both  Sylvester  and  Adashef  retired  within 
a  short  time  of  Anastasia's  death.  For  bad  general- 
ship in  Lithuania,  Adashef  was  imprisoned  in  the 
fortress  of  Dorpat,  where  he  died  shortly  afterwards. 
Sylvester  was  ready  enough  to  send  the  Tsar  and  his 
Russian  armies  to  war  against  the  Tartars  and  infidels ; 
he  opposed  wars  with  Livonia,  Lithuania  and  Poland, 

5^ 


Ivan  the  Terrible 

where  Ivan  was  particularly  desirous  of  extending  his 
dominion. 

On  the  withdrawal  of  these  counsellors  again  com- 
menced the  murders  and  massacres  in  which  Ivan  de- 
lighted. Historians  divide  these  into  seven  cycles ; 
it  is  a  purely  arbitrary  division — with  the  exception 
of  the  thirteen  years  1547- 1560,  during  which  he 
was  wedded  to  Anastasia  and  engaged  in  foreign  wars, 
the  whole  of  his  long  reign  was  given  to  terrorising 
his  subjects. 

Obolenski  was  the  first  noble  killed  by  Ivan  him- 
self; Repnin  was  murdered  whilst  at  his  devotions 
in  church  ;  another  was  slain  simply  because  he  re- 
monstrated with  the  Tsar  for  such  a  display  of  cruelty. 
Ivan  always  used  the  hour  of  victory  to  exterminate 
foes,  and  he  now  relentlessly  hunted  down  all  his 
past  advisers  and  their  friends. 

He  was  determined  on  absolute  supremacy. 

"  To  shew  his  soveraintie  over  the  lives  of  his  subjects,  Ivan 
in  his  walks,  if  he  disliked  the  face  or  person  of  any  man  he 
met  by  the  way,  or  that  looked  at  him,  would  command  his 
head  to  he  struck  ofl:  There  and  then  the  thing  was  done, 
and  the  head  cast  before  him." 

Dismayed,  some  of  his  nobles  fled  to  the  west ; 
among  them  was  Kniaz  Kourbski,  who,  not  content 
simply  to  take  service  under  Sigismund,  acquainted 
the  Tsar  by  letter  with  the  fact.  Kniaz  Vasili 
Chibanov  was  the  bearer.  Ivan  received  him  on  the 
Krasnce  Kriltso,  and  there,  with  his  sharp  stafl^,  pinned 
to  the  floor  the  foot  of  Chibanov,  who  never  stirred  a 
muscle  during  the  whole  time  the  long  letter  was  read 
aloud.  Then  Chibanov  was  put  to  the  torture,  to 
obtain  particulars  of  the  flight  of  Kourbski,  and  the 
names  of  his  partisans  in  Moscow ;  but  Chibanov  con- 
fessed not  a  word,  and  in  the  midst  of  the  most  horrible 

53 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

torment  praised  his  master,  and  counted  it  a  joy  to 
suffer  thus  for  him. 

Generally  Ivan  studied  to  keep  on  good  terms  with 
the  common  people — whom  he  feared ;  by  them  he 
was  worshipped.  Macarius,  the  metropolitan,  com- 
plained that  "  He  who  blasphemes  his  maker,  meets 
with  forgiveness  amongst  men,  he  who  reviles  the 
Tsar  is  sure  to  lose  his  head."  Ivan  chose  as  his 
companions  the  worst  people  whom  he  could  find.  At 
one  time  he  withdrew  from  Moscow,  taking  umbrage 
at  the  prelates,  still  too  powerful  to  be  touched.  The 
people  clamoured  for  his  return. 

"The  Tsar  has  forsaken  us:  we  are  lost,  who  will  now 
defend  us  against  the  enemy?  What  are  sheep  without  the 
shepherd  ?  Let  him  punish  all  who  deserve  it :  has  he  not 
the  power  over  life  and  death  ?  The  state  cannot  endure 
without  its  head,  and  we  will  not  acknowledge  any  other 
than  he  whom  God  has  given  us." 

This  was  gratifying  to  Ivan.  He  consented  to 
govern  again  if  the  Church  would  not  exercise  its 
prerogative  of  mercy,  and  would  leave  him  to  do  his 
will.  His  return  was  followed  by  murders  and  out- 
rag'^s  worse  than  before.  Randolph,  who  in  1568, 
was  in  Muscovy  on  an  embassy  from  England,  with 
which  country  Ivan  wished  to  be  on  the  best  of  terms, 
was  not  allowed  to  enter  Moscow,  because.  Count 
Yuri  Tolstoi  thinks,  Ivan  wished  to  keep  from  him 
the  knowledge  of  these  massacres.  Randolph  wrote 
to  Cecil : — 

"  Of  the  Tsar's  condition  I  have  learned  that  of  late  he  hath 
beheaded  no  small  number  of  his  nobility,  causing  their  heads 
to  be  laid  on  the  streets,  to  see  who  durst  behold  them  or 
lament  their  deaths.  The  Chancellor  he  caused  to  be  executed 
openly,  leaving  neither  wife,  children,  nor  brother  alive. 
Divers  others  have  been  cut  to  pieces  by  his  command." 

During  the  third  cycle  of  Ivan's  outrages,  Philip, 

54 


Ivan  the  Terrible 

the  metropolitan,  in  1 568,  dared  to  upbraid  the  Tsar. 
Ivan  with  a  crowd  of  his  irreligious  followers,  disguised 
in  the  cloaks  they  wore  when  sallying  forth  to  rapine 
and  outrage,  repaired  to  the  Uspenski  Sobor  for  a 
blessing  before  starting  on  their  fearful  work.  The 
metropolitan  refused  to  recognise  Ivan  so  clad  when 
called  upon  for  his  benediction. 

"  What  is  the  thing  thou  hast  done  then,  O  Tsar,  that  thou 
shouldst  put  off  from  thee  the  form  of  thine  honour?  Fear 
the  judgment  of  God,  to  whom  we  are  here  making  a  pure 
sacrifice.  Behind  the  altar  the  innocent  blood  of  Christian 
men  is  made  to  flow  by  thee  I  Among  pagans,  in  the  country 
of  the  infidel,  are  laws,  and  justice,  and  compassion  shown  to 
men,  but  in  Russia  now  is  nothing  of  this  kind.  The  lives 
and  goods  of  citizens  are  without  defence.  Everywhere 
pillage,  on  all  sides  murder,  and  each  and  all  these  crimes  are 
committed  in  the  name  of  the  Tsar.  There  is  a  judge  on 
high — how  shall  you  present  yourself  before  that  Tribunal? 
Dare  you  appear  there  covered  with  the  blood  of  innocents,  deaf 
to  their  cries  of  pain  ?  Even  the  very  stones  beneath  your  feet 
cry  aloud  to  heaven  for  vengeance  on  such  black  deeds  as  are 
done  here.  O  Prince,  I  speak  to  thee  as  the  shepherd,  fearing 
none  but  the  Lord  our  God." 

Ivan  enraged,  stuck  his  staff  into  the  ground,  and 
swore  to  be  as  bad  as  Philip  described  him.  Vasili 
Pronski  was  the  first  to  suffer  in  the  murders  that 
followed  closely  upon  this  scene,  but  Ivan  did  not 
forget  Philip.  One  of  the  soldiers  was  ordered  to 
present  himself  before  the  metropolitan  and  wear  the 
Tartar  skull  cap ;  the  metropolitan  noticed  this 
irreverence,  and  turned  to  the  leader  for  a  command 
that  the  man  should  uncover.  In  the  meantime  the 
man  did  so,  and  Philip  was  accused  of  lying.  The 
boyard,  Alexis  Basmanov,  with  a  troop  of  armed  men 
and  having  the  Tsar's^a/  in  his  hand,  arrested  Philip 
whilst  officiating  at  High  Mass  in  the  Uspenski  Sobor, 
and  read  out  that  by  the  decree  of  the  clergy,  Philip 
was  deposed  from  his  high  office.      The  people  were 

55 


\,  I 


I 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

surprised  and  stupefied.  The  soldiers  seized  Philip, 
tore  his  vestments  from  him,  and  chased  him  from  the 
church  with  besoms.  He  was  first  taken  to  the  monas- 
tery of  the  Epiphany,  next  to  an  obscure  prison  where 
he  was  loaded  with  irons.  Whilst  there,  the  head  of 
his  well-beloved  nephew,  Ivan  Borisovich,  was  thrown 
to  him.  A  crowd  gathered  near  the  prisoner's  cell,  and 
the  people  spake  with  each  other  of  his  goodness.  It 
frightened  Ivan,  and  he  had  Philip  removed  to  the 
monastery  at  Tver,  where  he  was  subsequently  strangled 
by  Skutarov  on  the  Tsar's  journey  through  the  town 
on  the  wafy  to  Novgorod. 

As  a  condition  for  his  consent  to  reside  in  Moscow, 
Ivan  stipulated  for  a  bodyguard  of  his  own  choosing. 
These  men,  the  opritchniki,  that  is,  "picked  "  fellows, 
became  the  terror  of  Moscow.  Selected  for  their 
readiness  to  obey,  their  bodily  strength  and  lack  of 
morals,  they  recognised  no  master  but  Ivan,  and  by 
him  were  privileged  to  rob  and  slay  the  people  as 
they  wished,  providing  they  were  at  hand  to  kill 
anyone  in  particular  whom  he  might  want  out  of  the 
way.  They  carried  bludgeons  with  heads  carved  to 
represent  those  of  dogs,  at  the  saddle  bow,  and  a 
small  besom  at  the  other  end,  the  "  speaking  symbols  " 
of  their  intention  to  hunt  down  rebels  and  sweep 
Russia  clean. 

By  their  callousness  and  brutality  they,  on  many 
occasions,  distinguished  themselves  in  a  manner  that 
gladdened  Ivan,  but  at  no  time  did  their  excesses  excel 
their  performance  on  the  march  to  Novgorod.  Ivan, 
very  suspicious  of  treason,  doubted  the  fidelity  of 
Novgorod,  a  town  with  known  predilections  for 
freedom,  and  inclined  to  favour  the  more  enlightened 
rule  of  the  western  kings  than  the  Russian  autocrat. 
A  hired  traitor  placed  a  forged  letter  behind  an  image 
in  Novgorod  Church,  and  disclosed  the  plot  to  Ivan, 

56 


Ivan  the  Terrible 

whose  agents  found  the  compromising  letter,  which 
contained  overtures  to  the  Lithuanians ;  Ivan  started 
to  subdue  the  town.  The  opritchniks  preceded  him. 
Klin,  a  thriving  town  near  Moscow,  was  sacked  ;  the 
inhabitants  of  Tver  were  spoiled,  and  many  murdered. 
On  their  way  the  advance  guard  killed  all  whom  they 
met,  lest  any  should  know  where  the  Tsar  was. 
Villages  and  towns  were  annihilated.  Monks  had  to 
find  twenty  roubles  each  as  ransom  ;  those  who  could 
not  were  thrashed  from  morning  until  night,  then, 
when  Ivan  arrived  on  the  scene,  were  flogged  to  death. 
On  his  arrival  at  Novgorod  he  was  entertained  by 
the  people  ;  during  the  banquet  served  to  him  and  his 
followers  he  gave  a  loud  cry — the  signal  for  his  fellows 
to  begin  the  slaughter.  The  Tsar  and  his  son  went 
to  an  enclosure  specially  reserved  for  the  torture  of 
their  victims,  and  with  their  lances  prodded  those  who 
were  not  quickly  enough  dragged  to  the  place  of 
torment.  Chroniclers  say  that  from  500  to  1000  were 
slain  in  cold  blood  before  him  each  day  of  his  stay. 
Some  were  burned,  some  racked  to  death,  others 
drowned  in  the  Volkhof,  run  in  on  sledges  or  thrown 
in  from  the  bridge — soldiers  in  boats  spearing  those 
who  swam.  Infants  were  empaled  before  the  eyes  of 
their  mothers,  husbands  butchered  along  with  their 
wives.  Novgorod,  at  that  time  larger  and  of  greater 
commercial  importance  than  Moscow,  was  so  injured 
that  she  has  never  since  acquired  the  rank  of  even  a 
third-rate  town.  On  leaving  it,  Ivan  called  together  a 
few  starving  survivors,  and  commanded  them  to  obey 
the  laws  and  fear  him.  He  went  on  to  Pskov,  where 
the  town  was  saved  by  the  boldness  of  a  half-witted 
hermit,  who  offered  Ivan  raw  meat  on  a  fast-day,  and 
threatened  him  that  he  would  be  struck  by  lightning  if 
any  citizen  of  Fskov  was  injured  whilst  Ivan  remained 
in  the  town.     An  accident  to  his  horse  seemed  to  Ivan 

57 


The  Story  of  Moscow 


Ivan  the  Terrible 


Ij! 


Ill 


an  earnest  of  the  "  Holy-man's  "  power,  and  he  left 
the  town  precipitately. 

According  to  Horsey,   Ivan    at   this   time    had    a 

Tartar  army  with  him,  and  tried  to  reduce  other  towns 

in  Livonia.     At  Reval,  men  and  women  carried  water 

by  night  to  repair  the  breaches  in  the  walls  made  by 

his  cannon  during  the  day,  and  Ivan,  losing  six  thousand 

men,   in    the  end   had   to   retreat  in  shame.      Losing 

more  men  before  Narva,  he  put  in  execution 

there  "the  most  bloody  and  cruellest  massacre 

that  ever  was  heard  of  in  any  age,"  giving  the 

spoil  of  the  town  to  his  Tartars.     Following 

the  custom  of  his  country,  the 

prisoners    of    war    were    all 

brought  as  slaves  to  Moscow, 

many  dying  on  the  way,  some, 

including  Scotch  and  English 

soldiers   of  fortune   in   the   pay  of 

lli^  I    ^^^  Swedes,  thrown  into  prison  in 

rr^  f^f^'    Moscow    and    there    subsequently 

.^^%^f^^   f^''\  ■  '"      tortured  and  executed. 

/     /     ^^r^.-^p^f  Ihese  excursions  or    Ivan   and 

his  men  into  distant  parts  of  his 
dominions  afforded  the  Muscovites 
some  respite  from  his  attentions.  The  English  then 
there  were  much  impressed  by  the  cruelties  of  Ivan, 
though  themselves  escaping.  Jerom  Horsey  thus  de- 
scribes Ivan's  invasion  of  Novgorod  : — 

"  O  the  lamentable  outcries  and  cruel  slaughters !  The 
drownings  and  burnings,  the  ravishing  of  women  and  maids, 
stripping  them  naked  without  mercy  or  regard  of  the  frozen 
weather,  tying  and  binding  them  by  three  and  four  together 
at  their  horses'  tails:  dragging  them,  some  alive,  some  dead, 
all  bloodying  the  ways  and  streets,  lying  full  of  carcases  of 
the  aged  men,  wpmen  and  infants !  Thus  were  infinite 
numbers  of  the  fairest  people  in  the  world  dragged  into 
Muscovy." 

S8 


'% 


ALARM    TOWER 


With  the  spoil  brought  from  Novgorod  was  the 
"  Great  Bell  of  Novgorod "  which  had  so  often 
called  its  burghers  to  assemble  for  the  defence  of  the 
town.  Ivan  was  determined  that  the  tocsin  should 
never  again  be  heard  over  the  fallen  city.  The  bell 
he  caused  to  be  hanged  in  the  turret  on  the  Kremlin 
wall  near  the  Spasski  Gate,  where  for  long  it  was  used 
as  the  alarm  bell  of  Moscow,  but  subsequently  served  as 
metal  when  the  great  bell  in  Ivan  Veliki  was  recast. 

Shortly  after  his  return  from  Novgorod  he  entered 
upon  his  fourth  cycle  of  massacres.  The  prisoners 
were  executed  in  batches  before  the  Spasski  Gate. 
Horsey  was  instrumental  in  getting  the  lives  of  many 
spared,  and  they  were  settled  in  a  suburb  of  Moscow 
where  they  lived  at  peace  with  the  citizens  but  were 
still  subject  to  attacks  from  the  opritchniks.  Ivan  found 
other  traitors  among  the  boyards  and  princes,  for  his 
favourites  of  to-day  were  the  victims  of  the  morrow. 

*'  On  July  25,  in  the  middle  of  the  market-place,  eighteen 
scaffolds  were  erected,  a  number  of  instruments  of  torture 
were  fixed  in  position,  a  large  stack  of  wood  was  lighted, 
and  over  it  an  enormous  cauldron  of  water  was  placed. 
Seeing  these  terrible  preparations,  the  people  hurried  away 
and  hid  themselves  wherever  they  could,  abandoning  their 
opened  shops,  their  goods  and  their  money.  Soon  the  place 
was  void  but  for  the  band  of  opritchniks  gathered  round 
the  gibbets,  and  the  blazing  fire.  Then  was  heard  the 
sound  of  drums  :  the  Tsar  appeared  on  horseback,  accom- 
panied by  his  dutiful  son,  the  boyards,  some  princes,  and 
quite  a  legion  of  hangmen.  Behind  these  came  some  hun- 
dreds of  the  condemned,  many  like  spectres;  others  torn, 
bleeding,  and  so  feeble  they  scarce  could  walk.  Ivan  halted 
near  the  scaifolds  and  looked  around,  then  at  once  com- 
manded the  opritchniks  to  find  where  the  people  were  and 
drag  them  into  the  light  of  day.  In  his  impatience  he  even 
himself  ran  about  here  and  there,  calling  the  Muscovites  to 
come  forward  and  see  the  spectacle  he  had  prepared  for 
them,  promising  all  who  came  safety  and  pardon.  The 
inhabitants,  fearing  to  disobey,  crept  out  of  their  hiding- 

59 


The  Story  of  Mosconv 


places,  and,  trembling  with  fright,  stood  round  the  scaffold. 
Some  having  climbed  on  to  the  walls,  and  even  showing  them- 
selves on  the  roofs,  Ivan  shouted :  '  People,  ye  are  about  to 
witness  executions  and  a  massacre,  but  these  are  traitors 
whom  I  thus  punish.  Answer  me:  Is  this  just?'  And 
on  all  sides  the  people  shouted  approval.  '  Long  live  our 
glorious  King  I     Down  with  traitors  !     Goiesi,  Goida ! ' 

"  Ivan  separated  i8o  of  the  prisoners  from  the  crowd  and 
pardoned  them.     Then  the  first  Clerk  of  the   Council   un- 
rolled a  scroll  and  called  upon  the  condemned  to  answer. 
The  first  to  be  brought  before  him  was  Viskovati,  and  to 
him  he   read   out:   <  Ivan  Mikhailovich,   formerly  a  Coun- 
sellor of  State,  thou  hast  been  found  faithless  to  his  Imperial 
Highness.     Thou  hast  written  to  the  King  Sigismund  offer- 
ing him  Novgorod:  there  thy  first  crime!  '     He  paused  to 
strike    Viskovati    on    the    head,    then    continued    reading: 
'And  this  thy  second  crime,  not  less  heinous  than  thy  first, 
O  ungrateful  and  perfidious  one  !    Thou  hast  written  to  the 
Sultan  of  Turkey,  that  he  may  take  Astrakhan  and  Kazan,' 
whereupon   he  struck   the   condemned    wretch    twice,    and 
continued  :  <  Also   thou  hast  called  upon  the  Khan  of  the 
Krim  Tartars  to  enter  and  devastate  Russia  :  this  thy  third 
crime.'     Viskovati  called  God  to  witness  that  he  was  inno- 
cent, that  he  had  always  served  faithfully  his  Tsar  and  his 
country  :   <  My  earthly  judges  will  not  recognise  the  truth  ; 
but  the  Heavenly  Judge  knows  my  innocence  !     Thou  also,' 
O   Prince,   thou  wilt   recognise  it  before  that  tribunal  on 
high  I  *     Here  the  executioners  interrupted,  gagging  him. 
He  was  then  suspended,  head  downwards,  his  clothes  torn 
ofl^,  and,  Maluta  Skutarov,  the  first  to  dismount  from  his 
horse  and  lead   the  attack,  cut  off"  an   ear,    then,   little  by 
little,  his  body  was  hacked  to  pieces. 

"The  next  victim  was  the  treasurer,  Funikov-Kartsef,  a 
friend  of  Viskovati,  accused  with  him  of  the  same  treason, 
and  as  unjustly.  He  in  his  turn  said  to  Ivan,  <  I  pray  God 
will  give  thee  in  eternity  a  fitting  reward  for  thy  actions 
here  1  '  He  was  drenched  with  boiling  and  cold  water 
alternately,  until  he  expired  after  enduring  the  most  horrible 
torments.  Then  others  were  hanged,  strangled,  tortured, 
cut  to  pieces,  killed  slowly,  quickly,  by  whatever  means 
fancy  suggested.  Ivan  himself  took  a  part,  stabbing  and 
slaying  without  dismounting  from  his  horse.  In  four  hours 
two  hundred  had  been  put  to  death,  and  then,  the  carnage 
over,  the  hangmen,  their  clothes  covered  with  blood,  and 
their  gory,  steaming  knives  in  their  hands,  surrounded  the 
60 


/ 


Ivan  the  Terrible 


Tsar  and  shouted  huzzah.  '  Goida  I  Goida  I  Long  live  the 
Tsar !  Ivan  for  ever !  Goida  I  Goida  ! '  And  so  shouting 
they  went  round  the  market-place  that  Ivan  might  examine 
the  mutilated  remains,  the  piled-up  corpses,  the  actual  evi- 
dences of  the  slaughter.  Enough  of  bloodshed  for  the  one 
day?  Not  a  bit  of  it.  Ivan,  satiated  for  the  moment  with 
the  slaughter,  would  gloat  over  the  grief  of  the  survivors. 
Wishing  to  see  the  unhappy  wives  of  Funikov-Kartsef  and 
of  Viskovati,  he  forced  a  way  into  their  apartments  and 
made  merry  over  their  grief!  The  wife  of  Funikov-Kartsef 
he  put  to  the  torture,  that  he  might  have  from  her  whatever 
treasures  she  possessed.  Equally  he  wished  to  torture  her 
fifteen-year-old  daughter,  who  was  groaning  and  lamenting 
at  their  ill  fortune,  but  contented  himself  with  handing  her 
over  to  the  by  no  means  tender  mercies  of  the  Tsarevich 
Ivan.  Taken  afterwards  to  a  convent,  these  unhappy  beings 
shortly  died  of  grief — it  is  said." — Karamxin. 

Sometimes  Ivan's  vagaries  were  less  gruesome,  pos- 
sessing even  a  comic  aspect : — 

One  day  he  requisitioned  of  his  secretary  200,000  men  at 
arms  by  such  a  day  and  signed  the  order  "Johnny  of  Moscow." 
He  carried  a  staff  with  a  very  sharp  spike  in  the  end,  which, 
in  discourse  he  would  strike  through  his  boyard's  feet,  and  if 
they  could  bear  it  without  flinching,  he  would  favour  them. 
He  once  sent  to  Vologda  for  a  pot  of  fleas  and  because  the 
town  could  not  send  the  measure  full,  he  fined  the  inhabitants 
7000  roubles. 

**  He  once  went  in  disguise  into  a  village  and  sought 
shelter.  The  only  man  who  would  offer  it  was  the 
one  worst  off,  and  at  the  time  sore  beset.  Ivan  pro- 
mised to  return,  and  did  so  with  a  great  company  and 
many  presents,  acting  also  as  godson  to  the  man's  child, 
whose  birth  he  had  witnessed.  Then  his  followers 
burned  all  the  other  dwellings  in  the  village  to  teach 
the  owners  charity  and  try  how  good  it  was  to  lie  out 
of  doors  in  winter." 

**  When  Ivan  went  on  his  tours  he  was  met  by  the 
householders  and  presented  with  the  best  they  had.  A 
poor  shoemakek  knowing  not  what  to  give,  except  a 
pair  of  sandals,  was  reminded  that  a  large  turnip  in  his 

61 


a\ 


The  Story  of  Moscoijo 

garden  was  a  rarity,  and  so  presented  that  to  Ivan,  who 
took  the  present  so  kindly  that  he  commanded  a 
hundred  of  his  followers  to  buy  sandals  of  the  man  at 
a  crown  a  pair.  A  boyard  seeing  him  so  well  paid, 
made  account  by  the  rule  of  proportion  to  get  a  much 
greater  reward  by  presenting  Ivan  with  a  fine  horse, 
but  Ivan,  suspecting  his  intention,  rewarded  him  with 
the  turnip  the  bootmaker  had  given." 

On  a  certain  festival  he  played  mad  pranks,  which  caused 
some  Dutch  and  English  women  to  laugh,  and  he,  noticing 
this,  sent  all  to  the  palace,  where  he  had  them  stripped  stark 
naked  before  him  in  a  great  room  and  then  he  commanded 
four  or  five  bushels  of  pease  to  be  thrown  on  the  floor  and 
made  them  pick  all  up  one  by  one,  and,  when  they  had  done, 
gave  them  wine  and  bade  them  heed  how  they  laughed  before 
an  emperor  again.  He  sent  for  a  nobleman  of  Kasan,  who 
was  called  PUsheare^  which  is  "  Bald,"  and  the  Vayvod  mistak- 
ing the  word,  thought  he  sent  for  a  hundred  bald  pates  and 
therefore  got  together  as  many  as  he  could,  about  eighty  or 
ninety,  and  sent  them  up  speedily  with  an  excuse  that  ne 
could  find  no  more  in  his  province  and  asking  pardon.  The 
emperor  seeing  so  many,  crossed  himself,  and  finding  out  how 
the  mistake  occurred,  made  the  baldpates  drunk  for  three  days 
then  sent  them  home  again. — Collins. 

"  He  it  was  who  nailed  a  French  ambassador's  hat 
to  his  head.  Sir  Jeremy  Bowes,  the  English  am- 
bassador, soon  after  came  before  Ivan,  put  on  his  hat, 
and  cocked  it  before  him,  at  which  Ivan  sternly 
demanded  how  he  durst  do  so,  having  heard  how  he 
chastised  the  French  ambassador.  Sir  Jeremy  answered, 
*  I  am  the  ambassador  of  the  invincible  Queen  of 
England,  who  does  not  veil  her  bonnet,  nor  bare  her 
head  to  any  prince  living.  If  any  of  her  ministers 
shall  receive  any  affront  abroad,  she  is  able  to  aeenge 
her  own  quarrel.* 

"  *  Look  you  at  that !  '  cried  Ivan  to  his  boyards, 
'Which  of  you  would  do  so  much  for  me,  your  master?'" 

He  was  probably  not  acting  nor  scoffing  when  he 
62 


n 


Ivan  the  Terrible 

acted  the  part  of  abbot,  and  made  his  companions 
friars  of  the  house  at  Alexandrovski — to  which  he 
retreated  for  upwards  of  a  year  at  a  time  when  he 
mistrusted  the  people  of  Moscow  and  feared  for  his 
life  and  his  throne.  Ivan  regularly  summoned  to  mass 
this  strange  company,  all  clad  like  brothers  of  a 
monastery,  and  himself  officiated.  His  prostrations 
were  no  sham,  for  his  forehead  bore  the  marks  of  its 
severe  knockings  on  the  floor,  but  in  the  middle  of  a 
mass  he  would  pause  to  give  some  order  for  the  murder 
of  his  victims,  or  the  pillage  of  the  rich.  The  mornings 
were  spent  in  religious  exercise — the  rest  of  the  day 
and  much  of  the  night  in  the  foulest  orgies  and  the 
perpetration  of  fearful  outrages  in  the  dungeons  and 
torture  chambers  of  his  residence. 

At  all  times  the  boyards  durst  do  nothing  without 
him,  and  waited  upon  him  duteously  wherever  he  might 
go.  His  voievodes  kept  the  newly-conquered  provinces 
in  subjection  ;  others  carried  the  war  into  the  country 
of  his  enemies  and  brought  fresh  lands  under  his 
dominion.  Yermak,  an  outlaw,  conquered  Siberia  and 
made  of  it  a  gift  to  the  Tsar.  Anthony  Jenkinson,  on 
behalf  of  the  English  Russia  Company,  conveyed  their 
goods  from  Archangel  to  Astrakhan  ;  there  fitted  out  a 
fleet  for  trading  on  the  shores  of  the  Caspian,  and  made 
a  successful  war  on  the  Shah  of  Persia. 

In  1 57 1  Ivan's  voievodes  failed  him.  They  were 
unable,  or  unwilling,  to  oppose  the  Tartar  horde  and  it 
reached  Moscow.  There  the  enemy  pillaged  and  burnt 
the  town,  destroying  the  stores,  houses  and  buildings 
outside  the  Kremlin.  The  town  suffered  worse  than 
in  the  great  conflagrations  of  1547,  but  the  Tartars, 
satisfied  with  the  spoil,  withdrew.  They  subsequently 
sent  envoys  to  Ivan  and  these  were  at  once  imprisoned. 
Kept  in  dark  rooms,  ill-treated,  almost  starved, — 
they  endured ;    made  light  of  the  hardships ;    scorned 

63 


m— «t^miip 


li 


•  I 

I 

i 


The  Story  of  Moscow 


their   guardians.      At  Jast   an    audience   was  granted 
them. 

"The  Ambassador  enters  Ivan's  presence  ;  his  followers  kept 
back  in  a  space  with  grates  of  iron  between  the  Emperor  and 
them  ;  at  which  the  ambassador  chafes  with  a  hellish,  hollow 
voice,  looking  .lerce  and  grimly.     Four  captains  of  the  guard 
bring  him  near  the  Emperor's  seat.     Himself,  a   most   ugly 
creature,  without  reverence,  thunders  out,  says, — His  master 
and  lord,  Devlet  Geray,  great  Emperor  of  all  the  Kingdoms 
and  Kams  the  sun  did  spread  his  beams  over,  sent  to  him  Ivan 
Vasilievich,  his  vassal,  and  Grand  Duke  over  Russia  by  his 
permission,  to  know  how  he  did  like  the  scourge  of  his  dis- 
pleasure by  sword,  fire  and  famine?     Had  sent  him  for  remedy 
(pulling  out  a  foul,  rusty  knife)  to  cut   his   throat  withal." 
They  hasted  him  forth  from  the  room,  and  would  have  taken 
off"  his  gown  and  cap,  but  he  and  his  company  strove  with 
them  so  stoutly.     The  Emperor  fell  into  such  an  agony  ;  sent 
for  his  ghostly  father;  tore  his  own  hair  and  beard  for  madness! 
Then  sent  away  the  ambassador  with  this  message,  "  Tell  the 
miscreant  and  unbeliever,  thy  master,  it  is  not  he,  it  is  for  my 
sins,  and  the  sins  of  my  people  against  my  God  and  Christ. 
He  it  is  that  hath  given  him,  a  limb  of  Satan,  the  power  and 
opportunity  to  be  the  instrument  of   my  rebuke,  by  whose 
pleasure  and  grace  I  doubt  not  of  revenge,  and  to  make  him 
my  vassal  ere  long  be."     The  Tartar  answered,  "  He  would 
not  do  him  so  much  service  as  to  do  any  such  messa&re  for 

h'         ty         rj  /  o 

im.   — ttorsey, 

Ivan  had  to  send  his  own  emissaries  to  the  Tartars 
and  the  Khrn  kept  them  imprisoned  seven  years,  and 
in  other  ways  showed  his  contempt  for  the  ruler  of 
Moscow.  But  for  Ivan's  newly-found  friends  the 
English,  his  enemies  in  east  and  west  would  have 
conquered  him.  The  English,  much  to  the  disgust  of 
Swedes  and  Poles,  supplied  Ivan  with  artillery  and 
small  arms  ;  improved  engines  of  war,  much  gunpowder, 
and  showed  his  men  how  to  use  them — Russians  are 
not  slow  to  learn. 

In  1548  Ivan  sent  John  Schlitte  to  Germany  to 
enlist  foreign  artisans  for  his  service.  Attracted  by 
the  high  remuneration  offered,  a  hundred  were  willing 

64 


Ivan  the  Terrible 


i 


to  accompany  Schlitte  back  to  Moscow,  but  the  Govern- 
ments, anticipating  danger  to  thei/  territory  if  the  Russ 
became  enlightened,  refused  permission.  Only  a  few 
determined  stragglers  reached  Russian  territory.  The 
first  printers  in  Russia  were  encouraged  for  a  time,  then, 
for  their  own  safety,  had  hurriedly  to  seek  exile. 

For  Moscow  Ivan  did  little :  twice  during  his  reign 
the  town  was  destroyed  by  fire.  After  the  first  he 
built  himself  a  new  palace  of  wood  within  the  Kremlin  ; 
later  he  had  another  constructed^  outside,  between  the 
Nikitskaia  and  the  Arbat.  For  a  long  time  he  lived 
in  neither,  preferring  a  wretched  dwelling  in  a  far  off 
village,  whence  he  believed  he  could,  at  need,  escape 
unobserved  to  England  if  any  of  his  subjects  took  up 
arms  against  him. 

The  monument  of  his  reign  is  the  church  in  the 
Grand  Place.  Dedicated  to  the  "  Intercession  of  the 
Holy  Virgin,"  it  was  built  at  Ivan's  command,  and  at 
the  expense  of  Kazan,  to  commemorate  the  conquest  of 
that  town,  which  fell  on  the  first  of  October  1552. 
Commenced  in  1553,  it  was  completed  six  years  later 
and  consecrated  by  the  Metropolitan  Macarius  on  the 
day  of  its  patron  saint. 

The  name  of  its  architect  is  unknown.  Tradition 
asserts  that  Ivan,  to  make  sure  that  this  church  should 
be  "  the  crowning  effort  of  his  wonderful  genius,"  put 
out  his  eyes.  There  is  no  evidence  in  support  of  this 
story,  and  it  is  unlikely  that  Ivan  would  have  done  a 
thing  so  usual. 

Many  writers  have  asserted  that  this  fantastic  edifice 
is  a  mixtu'*e  of  the  Gothic,  Moorish,  Indian,  Byzantine 
and  other  styles  of  architecture.  As  a  matter  of  fact 
it  is  but  an  exaggeration  of  the  Russian  style,  an 
agglomeration  of  domes,  towers  and  spires,  one  or 
other  of  which  may  be  found  on  many  buildings  in 
"  wooden  Russia."     In  the  chapter  on  "  Ecclesiastical 

65 


E 


#' 

/ 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

Moscow  "  the  reader  will  find  further  information  on 
this  point.  It  appears  to  embody  the  salient  features  of 
many  styles,  eastern  and  western,  and  the  whole,  if 
neither  beautiful  nor  magnificent  is  strikingly  imposing 
and  original.  Unlike  other  Russian  churches  the  belfry 
instead  of  being  at  the  west  end,  is  at  the  east.  Nine 
of  its  chapels  are  each  surmounted  by  a  lofty  roof 
differing  from  the  others. 

The  central  one,  that  dedicated  to  the  Virgin,  has  a 
high  tower  and  wonderful  spire,  the  paintings  on  its 
internal  converging  sides  adding  to  its  extravagant  pro- 
portions. The  other  eight  chapels  on  this  floor  surround 
the  spire  and  are  covered  with  the  usual  arched  vault 
supporting  longer  or  shorter  cylindrical  towers,  sur- 
mounted with  cupolas  of  different  forms  and  sizes. 
One,  has  apparently  large  facets ;  another  bristles  like 
the  back  of  a  hedgehog ;  a  third  bears  closest  resem- 
blance to  a  pine-apple,  a  fourth  to  a  melon  ;  a  fifth  is 
in  folds,  another  has  spiral  gonflements — none  are  plain. 
A  covered  gallery  extends  from  north  to  south,  with 
roofed  and  spired  stairways  leading  up  to  the  church 
level,  and  a  narrow  passage  and  outside  wall  enclose 
the  remaining  chapels.  The  quaint  belfry  with  its 
Russo-Gothic  spire  and  bright  roofing,  being  unlike 
aught  else,  is  in  keeping  with  the  general  design.  Out- 
side, the  central  dome  is  brightly  gilt,  the  others  are 
painted  in  gaudy  colours,  and  the  whole  of  the  exterior 
is  decorated  with  crude  patterns  in  strong  contrast. 
Its  design  is  bizarre ;  its  colour  is  motley ;  the  two 
both  harmonise  and  contrast — the  whole  fascinates.  It 
is  at  once  both  a  nightmare  and  a  revelation.  Like 
an  impressionist's  picture  it  rivets  attention  by  apparent 
strength  and  seeming  originality.  It  cannot  be  forgotten, 
yet  it  repels  by  its  egregious  fatuity.  It  is  the  over- 
inflated  frog  at  the  instant  of  explosion.  It  is  not  even 
known  by  its  correct  name :  covering  the  remains  of  a 

66 


1 


Ivan  the  Terrible 


mendicant  monk  "idiotic  for  Christ's  sake,"  its  familiar 
appellation,  "Blessed  Willie,"  is  derived  from   him. 


i 


r-  :, 


VASIU    BLAJENNl 


He  it  was  who  so  often  interposed  his  person  between 
the  Tsar  and  the  objects  of  his  wrath.     He  upbraided 

67 


l) 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

Ivan ;  threatened  him  with  all  manner  of  disasters,  but 
neither  Ivan  nor  his  opritchniks  ever  hurt  the  naked 
body  of  the  old  beggar.  He  used  to  address  the  Tsar 
familiarly,  "  Ivashka  "  (Bad  Jacky)  ;  when  the  Tsar 
offered  him  money  he  let  it  fall  to  the  floor,  blew  on 
his  fingers,  said  the  coins  burned,  and  asked  Ivan  why 
he  had  his  gold  from  hell.  Then  he  would  tell  Ivan 
that  on  his  forehead  were  already  growing  the  horns  of 
a  goat — that  he  was  becoming  a  devil  really — then  hold 
him  up  to  the  ridicule  of  the  court  and  the  people — 
and  Ivan,  enraged,  dared  not  strike  him  down  himself 
or  order  anyone  to  do  so.  Now,  the  wonderful  monu- 
ment of  Ivan's  time  is  called  by  the  name  of  the  man 
he  feared ;  it  is  he  the  orthodox  remember ;  it  is  his 
church ;  they  honour  and  revere  him.  Later  another 
popular  prophet,  "  Ivan  the  Idiot  "  was  buried  there  by 
order  of  the  Tsar  Theodore :  his  chapel  adjoins  that  of 
**  Blessed  Willie,"  below  the  level  of  the  church  itself 
at  the  east  end. 

The  church  has  not  much  history ;  the  Poles  plun- 
dered it.  Napoleon  ordered  his  generals  to  "Destroy 
that  Mosque  " — instead  they  quartered  themselves  there. 
It  has  been  many  times  repaired  ;  was  reconsecrated  in 
1812  and  remains,  what  it  is,  a  striking  memorial  of  a 
featful  era. 

As  a  place  of  worship  it  is  now  but  little  used.  Its 
architecture  is  not  of  the  kind  to  inspire  lofty  thoughts, 
or  draw  any  nearer  to  God.  Its  associations  are  all 
unpleasant,  reminiscent  of  the  excesses  of  Ivan,  the 
weaknesses  of  his  immediate  successors.  Worse,  it 
lacks  sincerity :  intuitively  one  knows  that  such  a 
building  cannot  shelter  truth  or  engender  hope.  To 
uncover  at  its  portal  seems  a  mockery ;  to  connect  it 
with  aught  that  is  pure  and  Holy,  a  rank  blasphemy. 

Glittering  in  bright  sunlight,  gay  with  colour,  re- 
splendent with  reflections  from  a  glorious  sky,  it  seems 

68 


Ivan  the  Terrible 


only  like  a  kaleidoscopic  flash  on  a  variegated  canvas. 
To  know  Vasili  Blajenni,  the  visitor  should  walk 
round  it  in  the  dusk  of  the  evening,  in  the  gloom  of  a 
winter's  day,  or,  in  summer,  in  that  half-light  of  mid- 
night that  there  does  duty  for  darkness.  Standing  in 
the  shadow  of  the  Kremlin  wall,  on  soil  saturated 
fathoms  deep  with  the  blood  of  innocent  martyrs, 
examine  the  building  closely  and  call  to  memory  the 
people  by  whom  and  for  whom  it  was  produced.  Then 
and  then  only  may  the  conception  of  this  fungus-like 
excrescence  seem  possible,  and  Vasili  Blajenni  stand 
revealed  as  an  expression  of  inordinate  vanity,  un- 
controlled passion,  insatiate  lust.  Like  attributes  with- 
out a  soul — weird,  monstrous,  horrible.  No  fitting 
memorial  of  any  man,  yet  not  out  of  character  with 
what  is  known  of  him  they  called  Ivan  the  Terrible. 

The  clergy  alone  possessed  any  power  besides  the 
Tsar ;  but  the  Church  was  unable  to  coerce  him  or  to 
save  the  people.  Obedience  to  those  in  power  it  had 
inculcated  so  long  and  thoroughly  that  the  Russians 
never  attempted  reprisals  or  lifted  a  hand  against  the 
Tsar.  Even  a  voievod,  speaking  to  Ivan,  had  his 
ears  sliced  off  there  and  then  by  the  Tsar  himself,  and 
he  not  only  bore  it  patiently,  but  thanked  the  Tsar  for 
his  attention.  The  people,  debased,  servile,  frightened, 
could  not  help  the  Church — and  soon  the  clergy  could 
not  help  themselves.  Ivan,  who  was  fond  of  the 
semblance  of  justice,  after  his  expedition  north  appointed 
a  baptized  Tartar,  one  Simeon  Bekbulatov,  to  be  Tsar 
in  his  place,  then  himself  abdicated.  But  he  took 
care  to  make  Simeon  do  as  he  wished,  and  he  kept  the 
power.  The  people  obeyed  Simeon,  to  a  certain 
extent,  but  the  Tsar's  chief  object  in  this  was  to 
legalise  his  seizure  of  ecclesiastical  revenues.  Simeon 
made  certain  agreements,  but  not  having  made  those  in 
force,  which  had  been  recognised  bj  Ivan,  he  abrogated 

69 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

them.  Then  Ivan  dismissed  Simeon  amidst  the 
thanksgiving  and  rejoicing  of  his  people,  and  with  tears 
in  his  own  eyes,  the  arch-hypocrite  again  took  his 
seat  on  the  throne.  But  the  old  agreements  were  no 
longer  in  force ;  then  Ivan  declared  null  and  void 
certain  acts  of  Simeon,  and  so  between  the  two, 
secured  all  the  Church  properties  he  wanted,  and 
deprived  the  clergy  of  many  privileges.  Ivan  was  a 
great  chess-player ;  his  strategy  as  Tsar  shows  how 
his  knowledge  of  the  game  benefited  him. 

Ivan  put  to  death  his  cousin  Vladimir  for  no  crime  ; 
his  mother  Euphrosyne,  when  living  in  seclusion  in  a 
convent,  he  dragged  forth  and  drowned  in  the  Cheksna. 
His  own  sister-in-law,  the  widow  of  his  early  playmate 
Yuri,  was  also  killed  for  no  other  reason  than  in  the 
seclusion  of  the  convent  she  had  shed  tears  over  the 
victims  of  the  despot's  fury. 

The  boyard  Rostevski,  after  imprisonment,  was 
marched  naked  in  very  cold  weather  until  the  Volga 
was  reached.  His  guards  said  that  there  they  must 
water  their  horses.  "Ah,"  said  Rostevski,  "full 
well  I  know  I  have  to  drink  of  that  water  too,"  and 
straightway  he  went  to  his  death. 

Seerkon  had  no  other  crime  than  that  he  was  rich. 
A  rope  was  placed  round  his  waist  and  he  was  hauled 
from  one  side  of  a  river  to  the  other  and  back  again 
until  half-drowned,  then  placed  in  a  bath  of  hot  oil 
and  torn  to  pieces. 

Ivan  kept  many  bears,  and  delighted  to  turn  them 
out  when  savage  amongst  helpless  people.  Another 
diversion  was  to  clothe  men  in  bear  skins,  then  set 
trained  dogs  to  tear  them  to  pieces.  He  poured  spirits 
over  the  heads  of  delegates,  then  set  their  beards  on 
fire.  On  one  occasion  his  men  brought  a  lot  of  women 
of  Moscow,  and  stripping  all  naked  presented  them  to 
Ivan he  took  a  few  and  gave  the  remainder  to  the 

70 


Ivan  the  Terrible 

perpetrators  of  this  outrage.  Prince  Chernialef  he  had 
grilled  in  an  enormous  frying-pan  ;  hundreds  died  on 
the  rack. 

"  Kniaz  Ivan  Kuraken,  being  found  drunk,  as  was  pretended, 
in  Wenden  when  besieged,  being  voievod  thereof,  was  stripped 
naked,  laid  on  a  cart,  whipped  through  the  market  with  six 
whips  of  wire,  which  cut  his  back,  belly  and  bowels  to  death. 
Another,  as  I  remember,  Ivan  Obrossimov,  was  hanged  naked 
on  a  gibbet  by  the  hair  of  his  head ;  the  skin  and  flesh  of  his 
body  from  top  to  toe  cut  off  and  minced  with  knives  into  small 
gobbets,  by  four  palatsnih  (chamberlains).  The  one,  wearied 
with  his  long  carving,  thrust  his  knife  in  somewhat  far  the 
sooner  to  dispatch  him,  and  was  presently  had  to  another  place 
of  execution  and  that  hand  cut  off;  which,  not  being  well 
seared,  he  died  the  next  day. 

"That  was  the  valley  compared  to  Gehenna  or  Tophet, 
where  the  faithless  Egyptians  did  sacrifice  their  children  to 
the  hideous  devils. 

"  Kniaz  Boris  Telupa  was  drawn  upon  a  sharp  stake,  soaped 
to  enter  his  body  and  out  at  his  neck,  upon  which  he  languished 
in  horrible  pain  for  fifteen  hours  and  spake  unto  his  mother, 
the  duchess,  brought  to  behold  that  woeful  sight.  And  she, 
a  good  matronly  woman,  given  to  one  hundred  gunners  who 
did  her  to  death.  Her  body  lying  naked  in  the  Place,  Ivan 
commanded  his  huntsman  to  bring  their  hungry  hounds  and 
devour  her  flesh,  and  dragged  her  bones  everywhere.  The 
Tsar  saying :  '  Such  as  I  favour  I  have  honoured,  and  such  as 
be  treytors  will  I  have  thus  done  unto.' " — Horsey. 

Another  boyard  impaled,  during  the  long  hours  he 
remained  conscious,  never  ceased  calling  upon  God  to 
forgive  the  Tsar.  On  one  occasion,  during  a  time  of 
great  scarcity,  Ivan  caused  it  to  be  made  known  that 
at  a  certain  hour  alms  would  be  distributed  at  his  palace. 
A  great  cowd  of  needy  people  assembled,  and  seven 
hundred  were  promptly  knocked  on  the  head  by  the 
opritchniks  and  their  bodies  thrown  into  the  lake ;  a 
death  so  merciful.  Horsey  terms  it  "a  deed  of  charity." 

Ivan  forced  father  to  kill  son,  and  son  father.  His 
two  once  favourites,  the  Gluiskis,  also  suffered  ;  the 
son  being  beheaded  as  he  reverently  raised  the  head 

71 


n 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

just  struck  from  his  father's  body.  On  that  same  day 
another  prince  was  impaled  and  four  others  beheaded. 
Many  were  hung  up  by  the  feet,  hacked  with  knives, 
and  whilst  still  living,  plunged  into  a  cauldron  of  scald- 
ing water.  On  one  occasion,  eight  hundred  women 
were  drowned  together.  The  opritchniks,  of  whom 
at  one  time  Ivan  had  seven  hundred,  killed  scores  of 
people  daily. 

He  himself  plotted  against  the  life  of  his  own  son 
and  gave  "Maliuta"  (Skutarov)  orders  to  kill  him. 
Kniaz  Serebrenni  saved  him.  This  is  the  subject  of 
Count  A.  Tolstoi's  best  known  novel  and  of  an  old 
ballad  which  recounts  how  the  Tsar  got  all  the  boyards 
together  to  say  a  mass  for  the  dead  Tsarevich  and  in 
mourning,  "  or  all  I  will  boil  in  a  cauldron."  Nikita 
Serebrenni,  hiding  the  Tsarevich  behind  the  door,  enters 
in  ordinary  raiment  and  is  questioned  by  the  Tsar,  who 
when  he  knows  that  the  Tsarevich  is  safe,  rejoices 
greatly  and  offers  Serebrenni  half  the  kingdom  as  a 
reward.     Serebrenni  answers  : — 

'•  Ah !  woe  Tsar  Ivan  Vasilievich  ! 
I  wish  neither  for  the  half  of  thy  kingdom, 
Nor  the  gold  of  thy  coffers. 
Give  me  only  that  wicked  Skutarov, 
I  will  guide  him  to  the  noisome  marsh 
That  men  call  most  cursed  spot." 

With  the  aid  of  his  foreign  physician,  Bomel,  Ivan 
substituted  poison  for  the  knife.  At  his  table  the 
craven  boyards  would  gather  trembling  ;  take  from  him 
and  drain  the  cup  they  knew  to  be  poisoned.  No 
wonder  Horsey  called  them  "  a  base  and  servile  people, 
without  courage.'*  In  his  turn  "  Elizius  Bomelius  " 
suffered  a  cruel  death.  When  Theodorof  was  accused 
of  aspiring  to  the  crown,  Ivan  dressed  him  in  the  royal 
insignia,  seated  him  on  the  throne  and  did  him  mock 
homage ;  then  struck  him  dead,  saying  that  it  was  he 

72 


Ivan  the  Terrible 

who  exalted  the  humble  and  put  down  the  mighty  from 
their  seats. 

His  people  all  shrank  from  him :  the  merchants  hid 
their  goods  if  he,  or  any  of  his  spies,  were  in  their 
neighbourhood ;  none  dared  be  counted  rich.  He 
robbed  any  and  all.  Even  the  English  merchants, 
whose  good  esteem  he  prized,  were  forced  to  furnish 
him  with  what  he  wished,  on  credit,  and  were  never 
paid.  They  dared  not  offer  their  wares  to  any,  unless 
he  had  first  been  afforded  an  opportunity  to  purchase 
— at  his  own  price. 

His  palace  at  Alexandrovski  was  a  wondrous  build- 
ing ;  all  spires,  domes,  quaint  gables,  and  corridors — as 
unlike  all  other  palaces  as  Vasili  Blajenni  is  unlike 
other  churches.  Of  his  enormities  there,  none  may 
write.  After  his  death,  it  was  struck  by  lightning  and 
burned  to  the  ground. 

He  was  rough,  uncouth,  unfeeling.  He  emptied 
scalding  soup  over  one  of  his  favourites  and  laughed 
at  the  sufferer's  contortions.  Taking  offence  at  a 
remark  of  one  of  his  jesters,  he  ran  his  knife  into 
the  little  fellow's  chest ;  then  called  a  doctor,  telling 
him  he  had  used  his  fool  roughly.  The  doctor  told 
him  the  man  was  dead.  Ivan,  remarking  that  he  was 
a  poor  jester  after  all,  went  away  to  his  revels. 

A  straightforward  old  boyard,  Morozof,  a  hard 
fighter  and  an  upholder  of  the  rights  of  his  order,  for 
disputing  with  the  favoured  Boris  Godunov  about  pre- 
cedence, was  exiled.  After  some  years  he  was  again 
summoned  to  court,  and  Ivan  made  of  him  a  buffoon. 
Count  Alexis  Tolstoi  uses  the  story  in  his  romance 
"  Prince  Serebrenni." 

"  *  Yes,  the  Boyard  is  old  in  years  but  young  in  spirit.  He 
loves  a  joke — so  do  I  in  the  hours  not  devoted  to  prayers  or 
my  affairs  of  state.  But  since  I  killed  that  foolish  jester,  no 
one  knows  how  to  amuse  me.     I  see  that  tne  Boyard  Morozof 

7$ 


I 


The  Story  of  Moscow 


wants  the  post.  I  have  promised  to  show  him  a  favour — 
I  name  him  my  chief  jester!  Bring  the  cap  and  bells  !  Put 
them  on  the  Boyard.'  The  muscles  of  the  Tsar's  face  worked 
sharply,  his  voice  was  unchanged. 

"  Morozof  was  thunder-struck :  he  could  not  believe  his  ears. 
He  looked  more  terrible  even  than  the  Tsar.  When  Gresnoi 
brought  the  cloak,  with  its  tinkling  bells,  Morozof  pushed 
him  aside.  *  Stand  back !  Do  not  dare,  outcast,  to  touch 
Boyard  Morozof!  Your  fathers  cleaned  out  my  ancestor's 
kennels.  You  leave  me  alone!  Tsar,  withdraw  your  order. 
Let  me  be  put  to  death.  With  my  head  you  can  do  as  you 
will.     You  may  not  touch  my  honour ! ' 

"  Ivan  looked  round  at  the  opritchniks.  '  You  see  I  am 
right  in  saying  that  the  Boyard  will  have  his  joke.  I  have  no 
Tight  to  promote  him  to  the  office  of  jester,  eh  ?  ' 

"  '  Tsar,  I  implore  you  to  withdraw  your  words.  Before  you 
were  born  I  fought  for  your  father  with  Simski  against  the 
Cheremiss ;  with  Odoevski  and  Mstislavski  drove  back  the 
Krim-Tartars,  and  chased  the  Tartars  away  from  Moscow.  I 
defended  you  when  a  child  ;  fought  for  your  rights  and  the 
rights  of  your  mother.  1  prized  only  mine  honour :  that  has 
always  remained,  unstained.  IVill  you  mock  the  grey  hairs 
of  a  faithful  servant?     Behead  me  rather — if  you  will.' 

" '  Your  foolish  words  show  that  you  are  well  fitted  for  a 
jester.  Put  on  the  cloak  !  And  you  fellows,  help  him.  He 
is  used  to  be  waited  upon.' 

"The  opritchniks  put  on  the  fool's  cloak,  the  parti -colon  red 
cap,  and  retreating,  bowed  low  before  him.  '  Now  amuse  us 
as  did  the  late  jester  ! '  said  their  leader. 

"  Morozof  was  resolute.  *  I  accept  the  new  post,  to  which 
the  Tsar  has  appointed  me.  It  was  not  fit  for  Boyard 
Morozof  to  sit  at  table  with  a  Godunov — but  the  court  fool 
may  keep  company  even  with  such  as  the  Basmanovs.  Make 
way  for  the  new  jester,  and  listen,  all  of  you,  how  he  will 
amuse  Ivan  Vasilievich ! '  He  made  a  gesture  of  command : 
the  opritchniks  stood  aside,  and  with  his  bells  tinkling,  the 
fine  old  man  marched  up  the  room  and  seated  himself  on  the 
stool  before  the  Tsar,  but  with  such  dignity  that  he  seemed  to 
be  wearing  the  royal  purple  instead  of  the  motley  of  the 
court  fool. 

"'How  shall  I  amuse  you.  Tsar? 'and  putting  his  elbows 
on  the  table,  he  leant  forward  and  looked  directly  into  the  eyes 
of  his  sovereign.  *  It  is  not  easy  to  find  a  fresh  diversion  for 
you  ;  there  have  been  so  many  jests  in  Russia  since  you  began 
to  reign.     You  rode  your  horse  over  the  helpless  in  the  streets 

74 


Ivan  the  Terrible 


once-upon-a-time ;    you   have   thrown    your  companions    to 
dogs,  you  poured  burning  pitch  over  the  heads  of  those  who 
humbly   petitioned   you !      But    those   were   childish   freaks. 
You  soon   tired    of   such   simple   cruelties.      You    began    to 
imprison  your  nobles,  in  order  to  fill  your  rooms  with  their 
wives  and  daughters,  but  of  this  also  you  have  tired.     You 
next  chose  your  most  faithful  servants  for  the  torture ;  then 
you  found  it  wearied  you  to  mock  the  people  and  the  nobles, 
so  you  began  to  scofT  at  the  Church  of  God.     You  picked  out 
the  lowest  rabble,  decked  them  out  as  monks,  and   yourself 
became  the  abbot !    In  daylight  you  commit  murders  ;  at  night 
sing  psalms  I     Your  favourite  amusement,  this  1     None  had 
thought  of  it  before.     You  are  covered  with  blood,  yet  you 
chant  and  ring  the  holy  bells  and  would  like  to  perform  the 
mass.     What  else  shall  I  say  to  amuse  you,  Tsar?     This: 
whilst   you   are   masquerading  thus   with    your  opritchniks, 
wallowing  in  blood,  Sigismund  with  his  Poles  will  fall  on  you 
in  the  west,  and  from  the  east  will  come  the  Khan,  and  you 
will  have  left  none  alive  to  defend  Moscow.    The  holy  churches 
of  God  will  be  entered  and  burned  by  the  infidel,  all  the  holy 
relics  will  be  taken :  you, — you — the  Tsar  of  all  the  Russias, 
will  have  to  kneel  at  the  feet  of  the  Khan,  and  ask  leave  to 
kiss  his  stirrup !  '     Morozof  ceased.     None  dared  interrupt ; 
all  held  their  breath  in  agonising  suspense.     Ivan,  pale,  with 
flashing  eyes,  and  foaming  with  rage,  listened  to  all  atten- 
tively, bent  forward,  as  though  fearing  to  lose  a  single  word. 
Morozof  gazed  proudly  around  him.      *  Do  you  want  me  to 
divert  you  further,  Tsar?    I  will.    One  faithful  subject,  of  high 
birth,  still  remained  to  you.      You  had  not  yet  thought  of 
killing  him,  because — perhaps — perhaps  you  feared  the  anger 
of  God  ;  and  perhaps  only  because  you  could  think  of  no  torture 
or  infamous  death  worthy  of  him.     He  lived  in  disgrace  far 
from  you  ;  you  exiled  him  ;  you  might  have  forgotten  him — 
but  you  never  forget,  do  you,  Tsar?     You  sent  your  cursed 
favourite,  Viasemski,  to  burn  his  house  and  carry  off  his  wife. 
When  he  came  to  you  for  redress  for  these  wrongs,  you  sent 
him  to  combat  for  the  right,  in  the  hope  that  your  young 
courtier  would  kill  the  old  boyard.     God  did  not  allow  you 
that  joy,  Tsai.     He  gave  the  other  the  victory.     What  did 
you  do  then,  Tsar?  '  the  bells  on  the  cap  tinkled  as  the  old 
man's  head  shook  with  his  emotion.     '  Why,  then   you  dis- 
honoured him   by  an  unheard-of  outrage.      Then,  Tsar,'  he 
pushed  back  the  table  in  his  indignation,  and  sprang  to  his 
feet  —  'then    you    ordered    the    boyard,    Morozof,    to    wear 
the  fool's  cap !     You  forced  the  man,  who  had  saved  Tula 

75 


The  Story  of  Mosco*w 


and  Moscow,  to  play  the  fool  to  amuse  you  and  your  Idle 
courtiers !  * 

"  The  look  of  the  old  warrior  was  fierce  ;  the  absurdity  of  his 
dress  disappeared.  His  eyes  flashed  fire,  his  white  beard  fell 
on  a  chest  scarred  with  many  wounds  now  hidden  beneath  a 
jester's  cloak.  So  much  dignity  was  there  in  him  that  by  his 
side  the  Tsar  looked  mean. 

"  Tsar,  your  new  fool  stands  before  you.  Listen  to  his  last 
jest.  While  you  live  the  people  dare  not  speak,  but  when 
your  hateful  reign  is  over  your  name  will  be  cursed  from 
generation  to  generation,  until,  on  the  day  of  judgment,  the 
hundreds  and  thousands  you  have  murdered — men,  women  and 
little  children,  all  of  whom  you  have  tortured  and  killed,  all 
will  stand  before  God  appealing  against  you,  their  murderer. 
On  that  dreadful  day  I,  too,  shall  appear  in  this  same  dress 
before  the  Great  Judge,  and  will  ask  for  that  honour  you  took 
from  me  on  earth.  You  will  have  no  body-guard  then  to 
defend  you  ;  the  Judge  will  hear  us,  and  you  will  go  into  that 
everlasting  fire  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels.* 

"  Casting  a  disdainful  look  upon  the  courtiers,  Morozof  turned 
round  and  slowly  withdrew.  None  dared  to  stop  him.  He 
passed  through  the  hall  with  great  dignity,  and  not  until  the 
jingle  of  his  bells  ceased  did  any  speak." — AUx'u  ToUtoi. 

His  son,  the  Tsarevich  Ivan,  wished  to  lead  an 
army  against  his  father's  enemies  in  Lithuania.  In 
this  offer  the  jealous  Tsar  saw  an  attempt  to  gain 
popularity.  He  turned  on  Ivan  savagely  and  struck 
him  repeatedly  with  the  iron-shod  **  sceptre  "  he  always 
carried ;  the  last  blow  knocked  the  young  man  sense- 
less. He  fell  to  the  ground,  and  the  Tsar,  now 
frightened,  did  his  utmost  to  save  him,  but  he  was 
injured  too  severely  and  died  four  days  later. 

There  still  exists  in  the  monastery  of  St  Cyril, 
Moscow,  a  synodal  letter,  in  which  are  specified  a 
number  of  victims  for  whom  Ivan  solicited  the  prayers  of 
the  Church.  The  souls  of  3,470  in  all  are  to  be  prayed 
for ;  986  of  these  are  mentioned  by  name,  the  others 
are  cited  as — **  with  his  wife,"  **  with  sons,"  "  with 
wife  and  children,"  "  Kazarim  Dubrovski  and  his  two 
sons  and  the  ten  men  who  came  to  their  defence," 
76 


Ivan  the  Terrible 

**  twenty  men  of  the  village  of  Kolomensko,"  "  eighty 
of  Matveche,"  "  Remember,  Lord,  the  souls  of  thy 
servants  to  the  number  of  1,505  Novgorodians." 

In  the  number  of  wives  recognised  by  the  Church  as 
more  or  less  legitimately  joined  with  him  he  beat  Henry 
VIII.  by  only  one,  but  in  the  number  of  mistresses 
he  can  be  compared  with  Solomon  alone.  Anastasia 
Romanof  died  in  i  560 ;  in  the  same  year  he  married 
Mary  Tangrak,  either  a  Cheremiss  or  Tartar.  His 
next  wife  was  chosen  out  of  all  the  most  eligible  maids 
in  Russia.  Her  name  was  Marfa  Sabakina  of  Novgorod. 
The  marriage  took  place  on  October  28,  1571,  and  on 
November  13  of  the  same  year  she  died.  Her  brother, 
Michael,  the  Tsar  impaled  shortly  afterwards.  Ivan's 
marriage  with  Natalia  Bulkatov  was  not  recognised  by 
the  Church.  Anna  Koltoski  he  took  next,  but  he 
forced  her  into  a  nunnery  later,  where  she  lived  until 
1626.  Anna  Vasilichekov  and  one  Mstislavski  suc- 
ceeded, but  only  one  was  recognised, — which  one  is 
disputed.  Vassilissa  Melentief,  a  great  beauty,  was  his 
next  choice,  but  the  Church  recognised  only  Maria 
Nagoi,  the  mother  of  the  murdered  Dmitri,  whom  he 
married  in  1580.  When  but  a  few  months  wed,  he 
informed  Queen  Elizabeth  that  he  would  put  aside 
his  wife,  who  was  shortly  to  become  a  mother,  if  he 
could  find  a  suitable  partner  for  himself  in  England. 
Poor  Lady  Mary  Hastings,  learning  something  of  his 
character,  begged  her  sovereign  not  to  mate  her 
with  such  a  barbarian.  His  harem  was  that  of  a 
Turk. 

He  was  prematurely  worn  out  with  his  excesses. 
He  could  oDtain  little  peace.  Superstitious,  he 
sent  for  wizards  and  prognosticators ;  Finns  who 
certainly  foretold  the  day,  if  not  the  hour,  of  his 
death.  The  appearance  of  a  comet  greatly  terrified 
him — the  once  mighty  Tsar  lost  his  strength.     Like 

77 


The  Story  of  Moscoiv 

Herod  of  old  he  died  a  fearful  death,  and  he  left  his 
country  in  a  worse  plight  than  he  found  it. 

He  was  received  into  the  Church  before  his 
demise,  but  he  is  officially  known  as  Yoanna  and 
familiarly  as  "  Groznoi "  (the  Terrible).  His  evil 
deeds  are  forgotten  by  the  people,  whilst  the  enrich- 
ment of  his  country  by  others  of  his  day  is  counted 
to  his  credit.  He  was  the  first  **  Tsar  "  of  Russia, 
and  not  in  name  only ;  he  was  its  first  ruler  to  become 
an  absolute  autocrat. 

It  is  a  fashion  of  this  humanitarian  age  to  make 
allowances  for  the  harsh  deeds  of  those  who  lived 
in  ruder  times,  and  in  this  nineteenth  century  even 
Ivan  the  Terrible  has  found  apologists.  His  atrocities, 
his  joy  in  the  perpetration  of  the  cruellest  tortures  on 
the  innocent,  all  his  wickednesses  are  admitted ;  but 
they  call  his  lust  by  a  Greek  name  and  say  he  is  to 
be  pitied  rather  than  condemned.  Yet  some  there 
must  be  even  now,  who,  when  they  read  that  Ivan 
always  went  to  the  torture  rooms  with  joy  and  came 
away  from  its  fiendish  practices  invigorated,  refreshed 
and  gay,  will  rightly  regard  him  with  loathing  and 
horror.  Not  only  is  his  character  without  a  redeem- 
ing trait,  but  his  nature  is  so  fiendish  and  foul  that 
the  student  may  read  long  and  investigate  very  closely 
before  making  sure  that  Ivan  was  human.  His  lusts 
had  not  the  saving  grace  of  humour;  his  fear  even 
was  sulphurous.  Neither  circumstances  nor  events 
either  mitigate  or  condone  his  cruelties.  Through- 
out his  life  he  was  actuated  by  one  impulse  only,  to 
gratify  and  preserve  himself.  Those  who  believe  that 
the  occasion  makes  the  man  must  feel  that  the  fifty- 
years  rule  of  this  despot  upsets  that  theory.  Never 
was  there  such  need  for  a  Cromwell — the  country 
could  not  produce  a  man,  much  less  a  liberator. 
Doubtless  the  action  of  previous  rulers,  the  centuries 

78 


Ivan  the  Terrible 

of  thraldom  to  Tartars,  the  thorough  teaching  of  the 
Christian  doctrine  of  obedience  to  rulers,  contributed  to 
the  servility  of  the  people.  One  of  his  tortured  victims, 
it  is  true,  did  try  to  assault  him,  but  the  wretch  was 
at  once  killed  by  the  watchful  Tsarevich,  and  in 
future  Ivan  ran  no  such  risks.  Prelates  rebuked  him 
and  suffered  ;  his  victims  suffered  and  forgave  him — 
none  tried  to  free  themselves  or  help  others.  In  all 
this  dreary  time  only  one  man  appears  to  have  acted 
worthily.  The  Englishman,  .lerom  Horsey,  exerted 
all  the  influence  he  possessed  on  behalf  of  Ivan's 
prisoners.  The  services  he  rendered  deserve  a 
memorial ;  instead  he  received  the  condemnation  of 
the  Russia  Company,  in  whose  employ  he  was,  and 
the  encomiums  and  admiration  of  the  Tsar  whom  he 
loathed  and  despised. 

The  magnitude  and  multitude  of  his  crimes  place 
Ivan  far  beyond  other  tyrants  of  his  class.  It  is 
reassuring  to  know  that  in  no  other  country  and  at  no 
other  time  would  his  rule  be  permitted.  The  mere 
possibility  of  a  recurrence  of  such  a  time  of  terror 
would  determine  every  thinking  being  to  die  childless. 
The  spirit  of  freedom  renders  the  ascendency  or 
continuance  of  his  like  impossible — but  in  mediaeval 
Moscow  the  spirit  of  freedom  had  no  place. 


79 


CHAPTER  VI 
I'he  Troublous  Times 

"  But  war  has  spread  its  terrors  o'er  thee, 
And  thou  hast  been  in  ashes  laid : 
Thy  throne  seemed  tottering  then  before  thee, 
Thy  sceptre  feeble  as  thy  blade." — Dmitriev. 

*♦  Yea,  one  is  full  out  as  villainous  as  the  other." 

W.  Russell — A  Bloudie  and  Traguke Massacre. 

DORIS  GODUNOV  was  the  most  powerful  and 
sagacious  of  the  boyards  spared  by  Ivan  the 
"Terrible";  he  was  best  fitted  to  direct  the  policy 
of  the  government,  and  later  the  people  looked  to  him 
as  the  only  ruler  possible.  A  man  who  could  satisfy 
Ivan,  yet  take  no  part  in  his  orgies,  who  could  keep 
the  goodwill  of  the  foreign  residents,  yet  be  beloved  of 
the  Muscovites,  must  have  possessed  abilities  of  no  mean 
order.  Boris  was  a  great  man  to  whom  historians 
have  done  scant  justice.  He  is  described  as  inordin- 
ately ambitious  and  accused  of  unscrupulousness  in  his 
methods,  but  the  court  in  which  he  was  schooled  may 
be  adduced  in  extenuation  of  his  crimes,  whilst  am- 
bition, an  undesirable  quality  for  a  subject  to  possess, 
is  a  laudable  virtue  in  monarchs.  It  was  his  misfortune 
not  to  have  been  born  in  the  purple — his  contemporaries 
and  the  historians  have  counted  this  a  fault,  but  it  is 
too  late  to  blame  him  for  acting  as  a  king  when  he  was 
by  birth  a  simple  noble. 

Boris  Godunov,  as  brother  of  the  Tsar's  wife,  had 
80 


The  Troublous  Times 

a  recognised  position  apart  from  the  favour  the  Tsar's 
father  had  shown  him.     The  relatives  of  the  Tsarina 
were  always  counted  less  dangerous  to  the  dynasty  than 
were  the  Tsar's  blood  relations,  and  their  influence  at 
Court  was  greater  than   their   precedence  warranted. 
Theodore  was  the  opposite  of  his  father,  unintelligent, 
feeble-willed,  incompetent,   he   thrust   greatness  upon 
Boris  Godunov,  who  saved  Moscow.     At  that  time 
the  Tsar  held  territory  in  Europe  larger  than  that  ruled 
by  any  of  his  contemporaries ;  the  conquests  of  Yermak 
in  Asia  brought  as  much  more  under  his  dominion. 
Enemies,  active,  watchful,  virulent,  were  ever  ready  to 
harass  its  rulers.     Poles  and  Swedes  expected  Moscow 
sooner  or  later,  to  fall  to  them,  and  lost  no  opportunity 
to  effect  the  overthrow  of  the  Russians.     Tartars  and 
others  kept  up  predatory  wars  and,  within  the  empire, 
towns  and  districts,  devastated  by  the  wanton  cruelties 
of  Ivan,  were  anxious  to  get  back  their  independence. 
There  were  no  men  able  to  rule.     Ivan  had  put  to 
death  those  brave  enough  and  independent  enough  to 
assert  authority  ;  what  was  worse  for  Russia,  he  had 
driven  into  exile  competent  and  influential  nobles,  who, 
maddened  by  his  persecutions,  became  enemies  of  their 
fatherland  and  plotted  with  foreign  sovereigns  against 
the  state. 

To  govern  was  difficult  ;  to  preserve  the  empire 
intact,  still  more  so  ;  further  aggrandisement  almost  im- 
possible with  the  conditions  then  prevailing.  Theodore 
left  everything  to  the  council, — duma,  consisting  of 
boyards  whom  Godunov  held  in  the  hollow  of  his 
hand.  From  his  brother-in-law  he  obtained  special 
titles  and  special  powers ;  he  became  viceroy  of  im- 
mense territories,  and  could  put  100,000  armed  men 
into  the  field  at  need.  He  was  practically  regent 
and  lacked  nothing  that  was  royal  but  the  title. 
When   the    Shooiskis,   the    Belskia,  the  Mstislavskis 

F  81 


\ 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

and  others  did  not  please  him  he  forced  them  from 
power.  Mstislavski  had  to  become  a  monk  ;  Shooiski, 
who  tried  to  get  together  a  party  among  the  merchants, 
was  banished  to  a  distant  town  ;  Dionysius,  the  metro- 
politan, was  deposed,  and  a  nominee  of  Godunov*s 
succeeded  to  the  primacy  of  the  church.  When,  in 
1586,  Batory,  King  of  Lithuania  died,  Boris  Godunov 
put  forward  Theodore  as  candidate  for  the  crown  of 
Poland.  But  the  Poles  would  have  no  ruler  who 
belonged  to  the  eastern  church.  Moreover,  they 
feared  the  Muscovites  would  join  Poland  to  Muscovy 
like  a  sleeve  to  a  coat ;  but  the  claim  proved  that  Russia 
was  still  a  power  with  which  the  west  would  have  to 
reckon.  Boris,  who  had  always  been  friendly  with 
the  English,  obtained  for  Theodore  the  support  of 
England  against  Danes  and  Swedes  ;  he  quite  won 
over  Queen  Elizabeth  to  the  side  of  the  young  Tsar 
and,  in  many  ways,  as  Grand  High  Chancellor  ad- 
vanced the  interests  of  h'    sovereign  and  his  country. 

In  Moscow  he  acted  intelligently.  The  middle 
town,  the  Bielo-Gorod  or  free  town,  between  the 
Kitai  Gorod  and  the  present  boulevards  was  enclosed 
with  a  wall  of  stone,  having  twenty-eight  towers  and 
nine  gates.  The  last  gate,  that  on  the  Arbat,  was 
razed  in  1 792,  the  wall  having  been  earlier  demolished 
and  its  site  utilised  for  the  present  existing  boulevards. 
Its  style  was  that  of  the  wall  around  the  Donskoi 
Monastery  built  in  I  591  to  commemorate  the  victory 
of  the  Muscovites  under  Mstislavski  against  150,000 
Krim-Tartars  advancing  on  the  city  under  the  leader- 
ship of  the  Khan  Kazi  Ghiree.  Another  building  of 
Godunov's  is  the  smaller  "  Golden  Palace  "  in  the 
Terem  of  the  Kremlin,  which  was  erected  for  the 
accommodation  of  the  Tsaritsa  Irene.  Many  bells  were 
cast,  and  some  cannon  including  the  monstrous  Tsar 
Pushka — still    within    the    Kremlin — which    bears    a 

82 


-3^ 


A    CORRIDOR THE   OLD    PALACES 


83 


The  Troublous  Times 

portrait  of  Theodore  on  horseback  on  its  reinforcement. 
-  Theodore  lived  in  regal  state  :  his  household  numbered 
J  over  looo,  and  he  entertained  foreign  ambassadors  with 
even  greater  pomp  and  magnificence  than  his  pre- 
decessors. Not  only  were  these  guests  provided  with 
a  fitting  residence  and  a  large  suit,  but  it  was  not  un- 
common for  as  many  as  a  hundred  and  fifty  dinners  to 
be  sent  daily  from  the  Tsar's  kitchen  for  their  enter- 
tainment. 

Ivan's  youngest  son,  Dmitri,  with  his  mother  Maria, 
and  her  relatives,  the  Nagois,  were  domiciled  in 
Uglitch  by  the  order  of  Boris;  whilst  there  in  1581, 
about  the  period  of  the  Tartar  invasion,  young  Dmitri 
was  murdered — at  Boris  Godunov's  instigation  it  is 
said.  Jerom  Horsey,  who  was  in  Uglitch  at  the 
time,  states  that  he  was  aroused  late  at  night,  the  news 
given  him,  and  his  aid  requested  on  behalf  of  Dmitri's 
mother  believed  to  be  poisoned.  Horsey  gave  the 
messenger  the  small  vial  of  sallet  oil  the  Queen  (Eliza- 
beth) had  given  him  as  a  specific  against  all  poisons  and 
ills.  An  inquiry  was  ordered  when  Boris  Godunov 
was  suspected  of  having  instigated  the  crime,  and  as  a 
result  of  the  investigation  made  by  Shooiski  it  was  de- 
clared that  the  boy  cut  his  own  throat  and  that  the 
Nagois  and  citizens  of  Uglitch  had  put  to  death  inno- 
cent men  as  murderers,  whereupon,  the  incredible  finding 
being  believed,  an  effort  was  made  to  exterminate  the 
Nagois,  and  Uglitch  was  almost  depopulated. 

There  can  iJ  no  doubt  that  Dmitri  was  murdered 
when  six  years  old,  but  it  is  not  so  clear  at  whose 
instigation  the  deed  was  done.  Giles  Fletcher  states 
that  the  child  "resembled  his  father  in  delight  of 
blood,"  and  it  may  be  that  evidence  of  his  cruel 
propensities  induced  some  sufferer  from  Ivan's  tyranny 
to  wreak  vengeance  on  the  son  in  hope  of  saving 
a  generation  to  come  from  such  suffering  as  the  past 

8s 


Cj^l^j^H^i 


I      1 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

had  endured.  It  may  be  that  Boris  Godunov  plotted 
for  his  removal,  but  it  is  known  that  Boris  was  anxious 
for  Theodore  to  have  a  son  to  succeed  to  the  throne, 
and,  probably,  had  then  little  intention  of  securing  it 
for  himself.  One  of  the  complaints  made  by  the 
Russia  Company  against  Jerom  Horsey  was  in  con- 
nection with  a  wrongly  interpreted  order  he  executed 
on  behalf  of  Boris  Godunov  who  wished  a  "  wise 
woman  "  sent  out  from  England  to  doctor  the  Tsaritsa, 
and  the  company  instead  sent  out  a  midwife. 

To  conciliate  the  small  landowners  a  decree  was 
issued  in  i  597  forbidding  peasants  to  leave  the  land 
and  thus  serfdom  was  established.  Some  efforts  had 
been  made  in  former  centuries  to  restrict  the  migra- 
tions of  a  people,  nomadic  by  habit,  still  accustomed 
to  change  masters  frequently  by  moving  from  one 
estate  to  another  at  seed  time  and  harvest.  The 
tendency  of  the  powerful  was  to  increase  the  size  of 
their  holdings  and  to  augment  their  retainers  by  en- 
ticing labourers  from  smaller  estates.  To  check  this 
the  husbandman  was  attached  to  the  soil  as  the  serf 
of  the  estate. 

As  statesmanlike,  and  less  objectionable,  was  the 
appointment  of  a  patriarch  to  win  over  the  clergy. 
Jeremiah,  patriarch  of  Constantinople,  was  banished 
by  the  Turks  and  sought  refuge  in  Rome.  The 
Pope  sent  him  to  Moscow,  hoping  that  the  chief  of 
their  own  church  would  influence  the  Russians  to 
forward  the  amalgamation  of  the  Greek  and  Roman 
churches.  If  not  successful  in  this,  it  was  hoped  that 
the  recountal  of  the  patriarch's  sufl^erings  and  indignities 
at  the  hands  of  infidels,  might  induce  the  Romans  to 
make  a  league  with  Spain  against  the  Turks.  Accord- 
ing to  Giles  Fletcher  the  Pope's  emissaries  did  nothing 
more  than  inveigh  against  England;  but  with  the 
destruction  of  the  Spanish  Armada  all  conceit  of  a 
86 


The  T'rouhlous  T"tmes 


Russo-Spanish  league  vanished.  Godunov  profited 
by  Jeremiah's  stay  in  Moscow.  He  induced  him  to 
consecrate  the  Metropolitan  Job,  patriarch  of  Moscow, 
and  to  this  patriarchate  that  of  Constantinople  was 
subsequently  added.  Thus  Moscow  became  indis- 
putably the  head  of  the  Orthodox  Church,  by  direct 
apostolic  succession. 

The  Tsar  fell  ill  in  i  597  and  died  in  the  Kremlin 
the  following  year,  and  his  widow  then  at  once  retired 
to  the  Novo  Devichi  convent  mourning  her  bereavement 
and  blaming  herself  that  through  her  the  sovereign  race 
had  perished,  for  her  only  child,  Theodosia,  died  in 
1592,  when  but  ten  months  old. 

The  enmity  the  reigning  princes  had  shown  their  own 
kindred,  produced  the  unexpected  result  that  there  were 
now  no  legal  heirs  to  the  throne ;  the  line  of  which 
Andrew  Bogoloobski  Dolgoruki  was  the  founder,  was 
extinct.  The  Tsar  Theodore  when  on  his  death-bed 
said  that  God  would  provide  the  next  Tsar,  and  refused 
to  nominate  a  successor.  The  States*  Council  convened 
for  the  purpose  of  appointing  a  ruler,  unanimously  chose 
Boris  Godunov.  It  was  impossible  that  the  throne 
could  escape  him.  He  hung  back,  wishful  to  have 
an  expression  of  the  desire  of  the  people  of  Moscow, 
as  well  as  of  the  delegates.  The  people  required  him. 
They  went  to  the  Novo  Devichi  convent,  whither  he 
had  gone,  begged  him  to  accept  the  position  to  which 
he  had  been  appointed  ;  his  sister  "  blessed  him  for  the 
throne,"  and  with  great  show  of  reluctance,  he  at  last 
consented.  In  due  course  he  was  crowned  ;  reigned 
wisely  and  well,  but  was  not  liked.  A  chronicler 
has  it  that  "  he  presented  to  the  poor  in  a  vase  of  gold 
the  blood  of  the  innocents,  he  fed  them  with  unholy 
alms." 

Those  of  his  subjects  who  remembered  the  tyranny 
of  Ivan  should  have  blessed  their  elected  ruler.     They 

87 


n 


The  Story  of  Moscoiv 

could  not  forget  his  Tartar  origin  :  he  was  not  of  royal 
descent,  was  no  Tsar.  Nor  could  he  win  popularity. 
His  first  act  was  to  conclude  an  honourable  peace  with 
Kazi  Ghiree  and  the  invading  Tartars ;  his  policy  was 
to  avoid  war,  that  "  there  might  be  neither  widows  nor 
orphans  of  his  making." 
Horsey  wrote  of  him  :  — 

"  He  is  nowe  become  a  Prince  of  subjects,  and  not  of  slaves, 
kept  within  duty  and  loyalty  by  love  and  not  by  feare  and 
tyranny.  He  is  comely  of  stature,  of  countenance  well-favoured 
and  majesticalle  withal ;  affable  in  behaviour  and  yet  of  great 
courage,  wyse,  politick,  grave ;  merciful,  a  lover  of  virtue  and 
goodness,  a  hater  of  wicked  men,  and  a  severe  punisher  of  in- 
justice. In  summa,  he  is  a  most  rare  prince  as  ever  reigned 
over  these  people  as  any  I  have  ever  read  of  in  their  chronicles, 
which  are  of  great  antiquity." 

In  1 60 1  Moscow  was  in  a  state  of  famine,  the  like 
of  which  it  had  never  known.  In  a  short  time  3 
roubles  would  not  buy  as  much  food  as  i  5  copecks  had 
done  formerly.  Driven  wild  by  hunger  the  Muscovites 
committed  fearful  atrocities.  Men  were  entrapped, 
killed  and  eaten.  It  is  said  that  some  mothers  killed 
and  ate  their  own  children ;  pies  of  human  flesh  were 
sold  openly  ;  many  thousand  corpses  remained  unburied 
in  the  streets;  chroniclers  state  that  half  a  million 
perished  of  famine  and  disease.  To  alleviate  some  of 
the  misery,  Boris  caused  the  granaries  and  stores  to 
be  burst  open,  and  the  food  avarice  withheld  sold  at 
normal  prices. 

Boris  built  two  new  palaces  of  stone  within  the 
Kremlin  ;  had  made  a  map  of  the  Russian  dominions, 
and  a  plan  of  Moscow.  To  find  employment  for  the 
poor  he  caused  the  belfry  tower  of  Ivan  Veliki  to  be 
constructed,  and  did  his  utmost  to  win  the  love  of  the 
citizens.  He  had  to  combat  treason  and  intrigue  ;  his 
reprisals  were  severe,  but  the  victims  suffered  in  secret. 
88 


CHURCH    OF    THE   ASSUMPTION 


89 


I'he  Troublous  Times 

The  Bel  skis  and  Romanofs  were  ill-treated ;  the  head 
of  the  latter  house  was  forced  to  become  a  monk,  and 
took  the  name  of  Philaret ;  his  wife  to  become  a  nun, 
under  the  name  of  Marfa.  One  of  the  most  remarkable 
specimens  of  Muscovite  architecture  has  survived  from 
Boris  Godunov's  day,  the  church  of  the  Assumption 
he  built  on  the  Pokrovka.  Like  other  churches  of 
mediaeval  Moscow,  its  chief  entrance  is  by  steps  to  a 
second  storey,  but  unlike  them  it  is  carried  much  higher 
and  appears  more  like  a  collection  of  buildings  piled 
upon  each  other.  Thirteen  cupolas,  at  different  heights, 
are  arranged  around  the  central  dome.  A  covered 
gallery  surrounds  the  church  on  the  main  storey,  and 
the  logia  beneath  was,  until  recently,  divided  and  let 
as  shops. 

In  1 604,  the  first  false  Dmitri  appeared,  invading 
Russia  from  the  west,  at  the  head  of  Poles  and 
Zaporogians.  Boris  was  energetic  and  able,  but  the 
towns  revolted  on  the  approach  of  Dmitri,  and  the 
soldiers  of  Godunov's  voievodes  "found  it  hard  to 
bear  arms  against  their  lawful  sovereign."  Even 
Mstislavski,  who  tried  to  stop  the  advance,  had  no 
soldiers  to  help  him  ;  his  men  "  had  not  hands  to  fight, 
only  feet  with  which  to  run  away."  Shooiski  was 
better  able  to  rally  his  men,  and  he  defeated  Dmitri  at 
Dobryvichi.  Boris  then  thought  that  the  struggle  was 
finished,  but  the  movement  had  only  just  commenced. 
The  Ukraine  rose ;  some  40,000  Cossacks  of  the  Don 
joined  the  impostor,  and  the  inaction  of  the  voievodes 
to  stop  the  advance  towards  Moscow,  proved  that  the 
spirit  of  treason  was  wide  spread. 

Boris  Godunov  did  not  live  to  see  the  issue.  After 
a  repast  he  was  suddenly  taken  ill  ;  there  was  suspicion 
of  poisoning  and,  expecting  to  die,  he  nominated  his 
son  Theodore  his  successor.  After  confiding  the 
youth  to  the   care   of  his   friend   Basmanov,  to  the 

91 


T'he  Story  of  Mosco*w 

Patriarch  and  to  the  people  of  Moscow,  he  breathed 
his  last  on  the  15th  April  1605,  being  then  but  fifty- 
five  years  of  age. 

Theodore  ascended  the  throne  as  soon  as  his  father's 
remains  were  interred  in  the  Archangelski  Cathedral, 
but  it  soon  became  evident  to  his  supporters  that  neither 
officers  nor  men  would  fight  on  behalf  of  the  Godunovs. 
Rather  than  become  a  victim  of  treason,  Basmanov 
chose  to  be  its  author,  and  announced  that  he  was 
convinced  that  Dmitri  was  in  truth  the  son  of  Ivan  the 
Terrible. 

The  impostor  was  audacious  and  successful.  His 
career  has  the  fascination  of  romance.  He  was  one 
Otrepief,  a  monk  of  the  Chudov  monastery  within  the 
Kremlin.  Job,  the  Patriarch,  made  him  his  secretary, 
a  position  which  enabled  him  to  learn  several  state  and 
court  secrets.  He  said  one  day  to  his  fellow  scribes, 
that  some  day  he  would  reign  over  them  as  Tsar  of 
Muscovy.  For  answer  they  spat  in  his  face,  and 
reported  his  words.  Boris  sent  him  a  prisoner  to  the 
monastery  on  the  White  Lake.  He  escaped,  wandered 
about  for  some  time,  and  at  Novgorod  Severski  was 
well  received  by  the  inhabitants,  to  whom  he  revealed 
himself  as  the  supposed  murdered  Dmitri,  and  promised 
all  who  helped  him  suitable  rewards  if  he  should  obtain 
his  own  rights.  Then  he  threw  off  his  cowl  and 
joined  a  band  of  Zaporogians  ;  learned  of  them  how 
to  ride  and  fight.  As  a  soldier  he  sought  service  with 
Adam  Vichnevetski,  a  Polish  pan  of  good  standing. 
He  soon  feigned  illness ;  a  priest  was  summoned,  and 
to  him  he  confessed  that  he  was  the  son  of  the  Tsar. 
This  disclosure  was  of  too  great  political  value  to 
remain  the  secret  of  the  priest,  and  in  due  course 
Otrepief  was  recognised  as  Dmitri  by  Vichnevetski. 
Then  the  papal  Nuncio  took  him  under  his  protection, 
and  he  was  presented  to  King  Sigismund. 
92 


The  Troublous  Times 


It  is  unlikely  that  these  dignitaries  were  deceived. 
Sigismund  feigned  to  believe  Otrepiefs  story,  but 
refused  to  recognise  him  officially,  though  he  allowed 
his  subjects,  at  their  own  risk,  to  take  service  under 
Otrepiefs  banner  and  foment  a  revolution. 

From  various  motives  the  Russian  leaders  flocked  to 
him  as  he  marched  towards  Moscow.  In  the  town 
the  people  crowded  in  the  Grand  Square  to  hear  the 
news  of  his  triumphant  progress ;  his  manifesto  was 
read  from  the  Lobnoe  Mesto,  and  none  dare  stay  the 
treason,  not  even  the  Patriarch  would  venture !  The 
boyards  Mstislavski,  Vasili  Shooiski,  Belski  and  others, 
went  out  to  argue  with  the  citizens,  but  they  were  met 
with  cries  of  "  The  day  of  Godunov  is  over  !  To-day 
the  sun  rises  upon  Russia ;  Dmitri !  Long  live  the 
Tsar  Dmitri !  Down  with  the  Godunovs  !  Cursed 
be  the  memory  of  Boris  !  Long  live  Dmitri !  "  So 
shouting,  this  crowd  made  its  way  into  the  Kremlin. 

The  rioters  were  masters ;  the  guard  fled,  and  the 
townsmen  who  had  forced  their  way  into  the  palace 
actually  pulled  the  young  Tsar  from  the  throne.  His 
mother  begged  them  to  spare  his  life,  and  her  cry  was 
heeded.  The  Godunovs  were  removed  from  the  palace 
to  their  own  dwelling  and  a  guard  placed  over  them. 
The  relations  and  friends  of  the  Godunovs  were  then 
imprisoned,  their  dwellings  pillaged  and  destroyed. 
Belski,  from  his  known  antipathy  to  the  Godunovs, 
became  the  counsellor  of  the  mob.  Some  time  later 
the  partisans  of  Dmitri  made  a  fresh  attack  on  the 
Kremlin.  The  object  of  their  fury  on  this  occasion 
was  the  Patriarch.  He  was  celebrating  mass  in  the 
Cathedral  of  the  Assumption  when  an  armed  band 
forced  their  way  into  the  sanctuary,  seized  him  at  the 
altar,  dragged  him  forth  and  tore  away  his  vestments. 
Clad  in  black  he  was  brought  in  ignominy  from  the 
church,  shown  to  the  people,   and    sent  away  on    a 

93 


h 


V 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

common  cart  to  the  monastery  of  Staritsa,  five  hundred 
versts  from  Moscow. 

On  the  loth  of  June  1605,  '^e  Princes  Galitzin 
and  Mossolski,  with  a  couple  of  secretaries  and  three 
of  the  guard  of  Streltsi,  went  to  the  palace  of  the 
Godunovs;  took  Theodore  and  his  sister  from  the 
arms  of  the  Tsarina  and  ordered  the  guard  to  put 
them  to  death  in  an  adjoining  room,  and  then  strangled 
the  Tsarina  herself.  Theodore  made  a  struggle  for 
life,  fighting  savagely,  but  he  was  struck  down.  Xenia 
was  spared  ;  Dmitri  who  had  heard  of  her  beauty 
ordered  Mossolski  to  find  an  asylum  for  her  in  his 
mansion.  The  corpses  of  Marie  and  Theodore  after 
being  exposed  to  the  public,  were  interred  in  the 
convent  of  St  Varsonophee  on  the  Srietenka,  and  the 
disinterred  body  of  Boris  Godunov  brought  to  the 
same  resting-place. 

At  this  time  Dmitri  was  at  Tula,  but  all  being  now 
in  readiness  for  his  enthronement,  he  came  to  Moscow 
and  made  a  state  entry  unparalleled  for  its  magnificence 
and  pageantry.  A  violent  gust  of  wind  which  some- 
what disturbed  the  procession  as  it  crossed  the  Moskva 
was  taken  as  an  omen  of  ill,  and  later  in  the  day,  by 
an  unlucky  coincidence,  at  the  moment  when  the  clergy 
were  prostrate  before  the  Holy  ikons,  the  foreign 
musicians  sounded  a  fanfare.  When  Dmitri  prostrated 
himself  before  the  tomb  of  Ivan  and  cried,  "  Oh  my 
father,  thou  left  me  an  orphan  and  in  exile,  but  by  thy 
prayers  I  have  regained  my  possessions !  *'  the  simple 
people  were  convinced  of  his  identity.  He  was 
crowned;  his  supposed  mother,  Maria  Nagoi,  recognised 
him,  and  his  rule  commenced. 

Little  fault  can   be  found  with  the  way  in  which 

Dmitri   governed.       He    pardoned    those    who    had 

suffered   from    the    Godunovs,   and   was   generous   to 

those    who    had    shown    themselves   inimical   to  him; 

94 


The  Troublous  Times 


he  rewarded  his  partisans  handsomely  and  was  lavish 
in  his  expenditure.  He  purchased  and  ordered  rich 
furnishings  for  himself  and  the  court,  exhibiting  a 
prodigality  that  frightened  the  more  staid  of  the 
Moscow  citizens.  In  three  months  he  is  said  to 
have  spent  more  than  seven  million  roubles,  and  the 
display  of  riches  was  the  wonder  of  foreign  visitors 
to  his  court.  He  rode  Arabs,  dressed  his  servants 
like  nobles,  and  built  and  furnished  a  palace  that  sur- 
passed anything  seen  in  Moscow.  It  was  of  wood  ; 
the  stoves  of  porcelain  had  doors  of  silver  ;  the  bolts 
and  bars  of  the  palace  were  all  gold,  or  at  least  gilded ; 
before  the  entrance  was  an  enormous  statue  of  Cerberus, 
of  which  the  three  jaws  opened  wide  at  the  least 
blow.  The  chroniclers  state  that  "  this  was  a  symbol 
of  the  dwelling  that  was  to  be  Dmitri's  throughout 
eternity." 

There  were  malcontents,  and  chief  among  them 
was  Vasili  Shooiski,  who,  on  the  denunciation  of 
Basmanov,  was  tortured  and  condemned  to  death. 
At  the  last  moment  he  was  pardoned,  but  was  im- 
placable, and  worked  assiduously  for  the  overthrow 
of  Dmitri  and  the  ruin  of  Basmanov. 

Pope  Paul  V.  sent  Rogoni  to  Moscow  on  the  usual 
errand,  but  Dmitri  was  in  nowise  inclined  to  make 
any  submission  to  Rome.  At  the  same  time  he  was 
tolerant,  and  this  tolerance  gave  great  offence  to  the 
orthodox.  He  allowed  Lutherans  to  preach ;  per- 
mitted the  Jesuits  to  have  a  place  of  worship  within 
the  Kremlin  ;  even  listened  to  an  address  in  Latin 
delivered  by  a  Jesuit  in  an  orthodox  church.  Equally 
irritating  was  the  freedom  foreigners  now  had  to  enter 
an  orthodox  church,  the  doors  of  which  had  been 
hitherto  closed  against  all  but  the  faithful.  Dmitri 
upbraided  the  clergy  for  their  intolerance.  **  With  us," 
said  he,  "  there  is  only  the   outward  observance,  we 

95 


' 


The  Story  of  Moscoiv 

ignore  the  spirit  of  our  religion.  Vou  fast,  you 
prostrate  yourselves  before  relics,  you  worship  the 
Holy  ikons,  but  you  do  not  understand  the  spirit  of 
religion.  You  consider  yourselves  the  most  upright 
people  on  the  earth,  and  meanwhile  you  do  not  even 
live  as  do  Christians.  You  lack  charity  :  you  are  little 
inclined  to  good  works.  Why  do  you  scorn  those 
who  dissent  from  you  ?  What  is  the  Roman  faith  ? 
It  is  a  Christian  faith,  even  as  yours  is."  Such 
opinions  as  these  alienated  everyone,  but  especially  the 
clergy.  To  them  he  was  gracious,  allowing  the 
Patriarch,  four  metropolitans,  seven  archbishops  and 
three  bishops  to  have  seats  on  the  general  council — a 
privilege  they  had  previously  received  upon  very 
special  occasions  only.  An  order  he  made  for  an 
inventory  of  clerical  property  inflamed  the  priests  of 
all  degrees  against  him. 
Crull  writes  of  him  ;  — 

"  For  his  owne  person,  he  maintayneth  his  greatnesse  very 
well.  He  was  a  man  of  mean  stature,  browne  of  hue,  prompt 
to  choler,  but  quickly  appeased.  He  hath  broken  many  a 
staff,  and  given  sentence  of  death,  upon  the  marshals  and 
other  officers,  when  they  did  but  little  swerve  from  their  duty. 
After  he  grew  to  know  the  Russians'  false  pranks,  he  provided 
himself  with  a  guard  of  Livonians,  and  afterwards  also  of 
Asmaynes  and  other  strangers.  .  .  .  He  yet  further  determined 
to  have  also  a  hundred  musketeers,  when  he  was  laid  apart. 
He  took  great  delight  in  hunting,  and  in  casting  great  pieces 
of  artillery,  and  not  only  to  see  them  in  hand  but  also  to 
proove  them  himself:  for  which  end  he  caused  ravelynes  and 
ramparts  to  be  erected  to  imitate  an  assault.'' 

Dmitri  was  too  fond  of  the  customs  of  the  west  to 
satisfy  the  Muscovites.  Many  charges  were  made 
against  him  which  seem  absurd  now.  Among  them 
may  be  instanced  "  that  he  favoured  foreigners, 
especially  musicians ;  *'  ordinarily  he  sacrificed  pomp, 
and  went  hither  and  thither  about  Moscow  like  a 
96 


The  Troublous  Times 

simple  citizen.  He  took  the  cannon  out  of  the  town 
to  test  various  pieces  "  and  might  then  have  turned  them 
on  the  town '' ;  he  liked  to  watch  mimic  battles,  and 
laughed  when  the  Muscovites  were  routed  by  the  foreign 
soldiers.  He  ate  meat  during  Lent  and  veal  at  any 
time.  He  showed  little  or  no  regard  for  Russian 
customs,  and  broke  down  those  barriers  that  prevented 
the  common  people  from  having  access  to  their  Tsar. 
Much  could  have  been  pardoned,  but  two  things  were 
decisive :  he  would  not  sleep  after  dinner,  and  he 
mounted  his  horse  at  a  bound. 

When  Dmitri  arranged  to  wed  Marina  Mniszek, 
the  daughter  of  a  Polish  pan,  Vasili  Shooiski  plotted 
anew  for  his  overthrow.  He  it  was  who  had  been 
commissioned  to  hold  the  inquiry  into  the  crime  com- 
mitted at  Uglitch  ;  and  the  people  remembered  that  he, 
if  anyone,  knew  the  truth  respecting  the  murder  of 
Ivan's  son  and  the  identity  of  their  present  ruler. 
This  in  some  measure  accounts  for  Dmitri's  surprising 
leniency  towards  this  enemy.  In  his  new  plot  Shooiski 
counted  upon  the  support  of  1 8,000  men  of  Novgorod 
and  Pskov,  then  in  Moscow  on  their  way  to  do  battle 
against  the  Krim-Tartars.  The  Tsar  could  count  on 
the  support  of  the  common  people,  and  though  warned 
of  the  danger  that  was  threatening,  he  took  no  measures 
to  ensure  his  own  safety,  or  that  of  his  guests  and  bride. 
The  agents  of  Shooiski  circulated  two  rumours  ;  one, 
among  the  boyard  and  clergy,  to  the  effect  that  with 
the  help  of  the  newly  arrived  Poles  "  Dmitri  "  intended 
to  massacre  the  boyards  and  introduce  the  Roman 
faith ;  to  the  common  people  it  was  represented  that 
the  Poles  were  ill-treating  the  Tsar.  On  the  night  of 
the  17th  of  May  the  soldiers  secured  the  entrances  to 
the  Kremlin  ;  and  on  the  morning  of  the  i8th,  Shooiski, 
with  a  cross  in  one  hand  and  a  drawn  sword  in  the 
other,  obtained  an  entrance  through  the  Redeemer  Gate, 

G  97 


.Sm 


N 


T*he  Story  of  Moscow 

made  straight  for  the  Cathedral  of  the  Assumption  and, 
prostrating  himself  before  the  ikon  of  Mary  of  Vladimir, 
called  upon  those  around  him  in  the  name  of  God  to 
attack  the  cursed  heretics.  The  alarm  bell  rang ; 
Basmanov  met  some  boyards  who,  with  swords  drawn, 
demanded  that  "  Dmitri ''  should  be  given  them.  They 
killed  him  ;  then  entered  the  palace  in  search  of  the 
Tsar,  who  tried  to  escape,  and  to  defend  himself. 
Driven  along  a  corridor,  he  slipped,  was  stabbed,  and 
thrown  into  the  courtyard.  The  guard  of  Streltsi, 
called  to  his  assistance,  would  have  defended  him,  but 
when  threatened  by  Vasili  and  the  boyards,  the  Tsar 
prayed  them  to  desist,  and  the  companions  of  Shooiski 
thereupon  despatched  him.  Marina  was  spared,  and  a 
guard  left  to  protect  her ;  but  the  conspirators,  having 
killed  Dmitri,  Basmanov,  and  a  hundred  or  more  of 
the  foreign  musicians  in  the  palace,  they  spread  over 
the  Kitai  Gorod  and  murdered  without  discrimination 
all  the  Poles  and  foreigners  they  encountered.  These 
scenes  continued  all  day,  and  at  last  the  populace  took 
up  the  cry  of  "  Down  with  the  Poles  !  "  and  the 
massacre  of  foreigners  became  general. 

The  bodies  of  "  Dmitri  **  and  Basmanov,  their  faces 
covered  with  ribald  masks,  prepared  for  "  mummeries  " 
in  celebration  of  the  wedding,  were  dragged  out  on  to  the 
Grand  Square  and  exposed  to  the  public ;  later  these 
corpses  were  burned,  and  the  ashes  fired  from  a  cannon. 

On  the  day  following  the  massacre,  Vasili  Shooiski 
was  proclaimed  Tsar.  The  action  was  too  precipitate. 
Galitzin,  who  was  a  candidate,  was  not  satisfied ;  the 
provinces  were  annoyed  that  they  had  not  been  con- 
sulted. Shooiski  did  not  feel  secure.  He  sent  into 
the  distant  parts  of  the  empire  as  voievodes  those 
boyards  who  had  taken  the  side  of  "  Dmitri." 
Among  them  was  Mossolski,  who,  on  leaving  Moscow, 
took  a  letter  addressed  to  "Dmitri,**  and  had  already 
98 


The  Troublous  Times 


formed  the  idea  of  advancing  someone  else  to  the 
throne.  Vasili  Shooiski  was  fifty  years  of  age,  he 
lacked  energy,  and  his  rule  satisfied  no  one.  Pre- 
tenders sprang  up  everywhere ;  at  one  time  there  were 
seventeen  people  claiming  to  be  "  Dmitri  **  ;  others 
took  the  name  of  Peter;  all  claimed  to  be  sons  of 
Ivan.  Fighting  men  took  their  part.  Cossacks, 
Zaporogians,  and  others,  wanted  war  for  the  booty  it 
brought.  The  nobles  led  a  war  in  the  south ;  in 
the  east  the  Tartars  thought  the  time  opportune  for 
action ;  Finns  tried  to  recover  their  independence ; 
Swedes  and  Poles  looked  on,  waiting  for  the  best 
moment  at  which  to  interfere.  News  travelled  slowly, 
lack  of  communication  made  local  risings  possible.  The 
people  in  distant  parts  heard  almost  at  the  same  time 
that  the  Tsar  was  dead,  that  Dmitri  had  recovered  his 
own,  that  the  usurper  had  been  dethroned — they  knew 
not  what  to  believe.  In  Moscow  the  citizens  re- 
membered that  the  bodies  which  had  been  exposed 
on  the  Grand  Square  had  the  faces  masked :  to  most 
it  seemed  possible  that  "  Dmitri**  had  escaped  after  all. 

It  was  some  time  before  the  revolutionists  joined 
forces.  In  the  meantime  Shooiski  instigated  an  anti- 
foreign  reaction.  Dmitri  exiled  a  bishop  named 
Hermogen,  an  able,  devout  man,  uncompromisingly 
orthodox,  stubborn  and  bigoted,  who  now  became 
Patriarch,  and  won  the  confidence  of  the  people. 

In  due  course  the  different  sections  of  the  army  of 
revolutionaries  closed  in  towards  Moscow.  Lissovski, 
a  noted  brigand,  had  a  large  following.  There  was 
John  Zapieha,  exiled  from  Poland,  seeking  fortune, 
and  with  him  numerous  *'  pans,**  intent  on  the  spoils  of 
war  ;  a  host  of  Zaporogians,  and  the  usual  large  army 
of  Cossacks,  under  the  hetman  Rojinski,  joined  them. 
In  the  field  the  superior  talents  of  Michael  Skopin- 
Shooiski,  a  nephew  of  the  Tsar,  saved  the  situation. 

99 


'      I 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

He  refused  overtures  made  by  Liapunov,  and  this 
voievode  consequently  separated  his  following  from 
that  of  the  revolutionaries  and  joined  Shooiski.  Bolot- 
nikov  had  then  to  fall  back  on  Tula,  and  he  wrote  to 
Mniszek  that  unless  "  Dmitri  "  was  produced,  their 
cause  would  be  lost.  He  was  found,  but  too  late  to 
save  Bolotnikov,  who  was  drowned  ;  another  leader  was 
hanged.  The  identity  of  the  new  impostor  is  as  disputed 
as  that  of  "Junius";  to  historians  he  is  simply  the  "second 
false  Dmitri,"  the  "  Brigand  of  Tushino,"or  the  "Little 
Tsar."  His  party  was  strong,  because  each  of  its  units 
expected  spoils  in  case  of  victory ;  it  received  such 
support  as  it  had  from  the  people  by  reason  of  the  ex- 
Tsaritsa  Marina,  the  widow  of  "  Dmitri,"  and  Mniszek, 
recognising  the  impostor  as  "  Dmitri." 

The  northern  towns  supported  the  impostor,  and 
Sigismund  and  the  Poles  made  common  cause  with 
him  against  Moscow.  Shooiski,  who  had  refused  the 
proffered  aid  of  Sweden,  now  sought  help,  and  from 
Novgorod  the  young  Delagardie  was  sent  on  behalf  of 
Sweden.  More  could  have  been  accomplished  had 
not  Vasili  Shooiski  been  so  jealous  of  the  successes 
and  popularity  of  his  nephew.  He  was  afraid  to  let 
him  take  the  field,  and  the  impostor  established  him- 
self at  Tushino,  a  village  ten  miles  to  the  north  of 
Moscow.  Here  he  held  his  court,  and  enticed  the 
Muscovites  by  promises.  Nobles  and  citizens  alike 
essayed  to  be  on  good  terms  with  both  Shooiski,  the 
"  half- Tsar,"  and  the  impostor,  the  "little  Tsar,"  spend- 
ing their  time  at  both  courts,  and  earning  the  name  of 
Pereletsi  (birds-of-passage)  by  their  frequent  changes 
of  residence.  The  townsmen  were  so  demoralised 
that  they  were  ready  for  whomsoever  should  succeed, 
yet  gave  little  assistance  to  either  "Tsar,"  and  responded 
but  feebly  to  future  attempts  at  insurrection  within  the 
capital.     The  soldiers  returned  to   their  homes,  and 

100 


The  Troublous  Times 


Shooiski  became  by  turns  devout  and  ribald.  Now 
spending  all  his  hours  in  church,  anon  seeking  aid  of 
sorcerers  ;  one  day  punishing  traitors  with  extreme 
rigour,  the  next  proclaiming  that  all  were  free  to  do  as 
they  wished.  The  few  who  remained  true  to  Shooiski 
sent  sons  or  near  relations  to  make  court  to  the  impostor. 

The  Church  saved  Russia  in  this  extremity ;  it  was 
unswervingly  orthodox  and  opposed  to  Polish  su- 
premacy. The  rich  monastery  of  Troitsa  attracted 
the  cupidity  of  the  revolutionaries,  and  some  30,000 
men  under  Zapieha  and  Lissovski  laid  siege  to  the 
famous  monastery  in  1608.  The  monks  held  out 
bravely,  keeping  the  besiegers  at  bay  for  sixteen 
months.  In  September  1609  Sigismund  himself  laid 
siege  to  Smolensk.  The  people  refused  to  submit ; 
the  voievode  Shein  defended  the  town  so  well  that 
Sigismund  found  it  necessary  to  call  all  Poles  to  his 
banner.  Zapieha  very  reluctantly  left  Troitsa  and 
joined  Sigismund,  knowing  that  in  case  of  victory  the 
spoils  would  now  fall  to  the  King  of  Poland.  The 
Russians  with  the  "little  Tsar"  had  no  choice  but  to 
accompany  the  Poles,  and  the  impostor,  deserted, 
sought  refuge  in  flight.  Disguised,  he  went  south,  and 
later  Marina  and  Mniszek  joined  him. 

The  condition  of  the  nobles  and  commoners  who  had 
taken  the  part  of  the  impostor  was  pitiable.  In  despair 
a  deputation,  headed  by  Soltikov,  waited  upon  Sigismund 
and  said  that  the  Muscovites  beat  their  foreheads  in  the 
dust  before  his  majesty,  and  begged  that  his  son  Vladislas 
would  take  the  throne  of  the  Tsars,  making  only  one 
condition,  namely,  that  he  should  become  of  the  ortho- 
dox faith.  A  compact  was  made  between  Sigismund 
and  the  delegates,  by  which,  under  certain  conditions, 
Vladislas  was  to  succeed  to  the  throne  of  Muscovy. 

In  the  meantime  Michael  Skopin-Shooiski  died  in 
the  hour  of  his  victories.     His  uncles  were  accused  of 

lOJ 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

having  poisoned  him.  When,  at  last,  Dmitri  Shooiski 
went  out  against  Sigismund,  he  was  beaten  by  Jolkievski 
and  betrayed  by  the  leader  of  the  foreign  regiment. 
The  Poles  then  marched  on  to  Moscow,  and  thither- 
ward also  came  the  impostor  with  a  fresh  following, 
thinking  the  town  would  choose  him  in  preference  to 
Vladislas.  Moscow  was  in  uproar ;  the  inhabitants 
knew  not  what  to  do.  On  one  hand  the  proclamation 
of  Jolkievski  promised  peace,  abundance,  and  prosperity; 
on  the  other,  the  impostor  with  more  specious  promises 
held  fast  those  who  had  already  paid  court  to  him.  Some 
suggested  that  neither  candidate  should  be  accepted,  but 
a  new  Tsar  elected  by  the  people.  Matters  drifted  on 
until  the  17th  July  1609  when,  after  the  result  of  a 
meeting  at  Serphukov  became  known,  the  boyards  and 
citizens  together  most  humbly  requested  Vasili  Shooiski 
to  abdicate,  because  "  he  caused  Christian  blood  to  be 
shed  and  was  not  successful  in  his  government,"  He 
retired  to  his  private  dwelling  and  subsequently  became 
a  monk  in  the  Chudov  Monastery. 

When  the  boyards  had  to  choose  between  the  Pole 
and  the  impostor,  some  wished  to  restore  Shooiski  to 
power.  For  the  time  being  the  Council  was  content  to 
enforce  an  oath  of  fealty  to  //,  and  to  await  the  coming 
of  Jolkievski,  then  at  Mojaisk. 

Sigismund  had  determined  upon  securing  the  throne 
for  himself,  and  Jolkievski  had  a  difficult  part  to  play. 
The  Russians  elected  an  embassy  to  Sigismund ;  it  con- 
sisted of  those  who  were  most  likely  to  oppose  the 
Polish  supremacy :  then,  the  better  to  guard  against  the 
impostor,  the  Poles  were  requested  to  garrison  the 
Kremlin.  The  dissidents  were  thus  got  out  of  the 
town,  and  the  key  to  the  stronghold  of  the  empire  was 
given  into  the  hands  of  the  Poles.  The  Muscovites  pro- 
gressed so  slowly  with  their  negotiations  that  Jolkievski 
left  Gonsievski  in  command  and  returned  to  Smolensk, 
102 


The  Troublous  Times 

taking  Shooiski  with  him.  The  Patriarch  alone  remained 
inexorable.  He  protested  against  the  Polish  occupa- 
tion and  refused  all  attempts  at  compromise.  More,  he 
was  unceasing  in  his  attempts  to  awaken  the  Muscovites 
to  their  duty,  to  their  religion,  their  country  and  them- 
selves. His  attitude  was  most  irritating  to  the  boyards 
favouring  the  Poles  and  to  the  officers  of  the  garrison, 
for  the  indomitable  prelate,  deprived  of  the  wherewithal 
to  write,  called  out  loudly  to  the  people  to  revolt.  The 
boyard  Soltikov,  enraged  by  his  repeated  refusals  to  sign 
the  submission,  struck  at  him  with  a  dagger,  but  the  cross 
of  the  prelate  warded  off  the  blow.  **The  cross  is  my 
only  weapon  that  I  have  against  thee,  cursed  one !  "  he 
called,  and  the  garrison  did  their  best  to  prevent  the 
people  from  entering  the  cathedral  to  hear  him.  Cast 
in  prison,  he  still  found  means  to  inflame  the  populace. 

The  "little  Tsar,"  after  the  alliance  between  the  Poles 
and  Muscovites  was  accomplished,  withdrew  to  Kaluga. 
Soon  afterwards  he  was  murdered  ;  he  left  Marina  and 
a  son,  but  neither  now  were  of  importance  to  Russia. 

Sigismund  wanted  Smolensk  reunited  to  Poland ; 
the  delegates  wanted  Vladislas  in  Moscow  at  once. 
Sigismund  delayed.  He  tried  what  he  could  do  with 
Smolensk ;  when  the  secretary  Tomila  was  asked  if  he 
would  surrender  the  town,  he  answered,  "  If  I  were 
to  do  it,  not  only  would  God  and  Muscovites  curse 
me,  but  the  earth  would  open  and  swallow  me." 
Others  were  not  so  honest.  The  King  was  besieged 
by  applicants  for  favours  and  rewards  in  return  for 
services  rendered,  or  to  be  rendered.  In  the  Kremlin, 
the  boyards  denounced  each  other  to  the  commandant, 
Galitzin  and  Vorontski  were  arrested;  others  lost 
what  little  prestige  remained  to  them. 

Hermogen  succeeded  in  getting  two  letters  circulated ; 
both  were  calls  to  the  faithful  to  rise  against  the  Poles. 
They  excited  indignation,  and  at  last  Liapunov  started 

103 


■  II 


The  Story  of  Mosco'w 


out  from  Riazan  with  an  army  and  arrived  before 
Moscow.  The  Poles  besought  Hermogen  to  order 
this  force  to  disperse.  He  refused  and  defied  the 
Poles  to  do  their  worst. 

In   1611   matters  quickly  became  worse.     As  long 
as  Jolkievski  was  in  the  Kremlin,  Russians  and  Poles 
were  at  peace  with  each  other,  but  Gonsievski  was  not 
80    successful.      Some   Poles  were    so    foolish    as    to 
mock  the  orthodox  worshippers,  and  although  severely 
punished,  the  circumstance  roused  the  Muscovites  to 
action.      There    were    several    riots,    but   these  were 
quelled,  and   the   measures  the  Poles  took  to   ensure 
their    own    safety    irritated    the    citizens    still    more. 
Hatred   increased  day   by   day  ;    the  position   of  the 
Poles  became  critical.     As  Holy  Week  approached, 
Gonsievski    fearing    trouble  forbade    the    usual    cere- 
monies.    This   so  offended  the  people  that  he  was 
forced    to    give    way.       The    critical    period    passed 
with  one  or  two  unimportant  risings,  when  suddenly 
a  quarrel  broke  out  with  the  carters,  who  had  been 
asked  to  haul  cannons  into  position  and  had  refused. 
Soon  the  fighting  became  general  in  the  town.     Prince 
Pojarski,  with  the  advance  guard  of  the  Russian  army, 
had  just  arrived  on  the  Sretenka  when  the  Poles  and 
Germans    fell    ruthlessly    upon    the    citizens.       The 
massacre  lasted  an  hour  or  more,  some  seven  thousand 
being  killed.     The  alarm  bells  were  ringing,  and  the 
crowd    at    last    was    chased    from    the    Kitai    Gorod 
when    the   Poles  who    followed  further  were   driven 
back   by  the   cannon   of  Pojarski.      The   Poles  and 
foreigners  had   then    to  entrench  themselves  and,   to 
clear   the   neighbourhood,   the   Poles   fired   the   town. 
The  conflagration  spread  rapidly  and  lasted  three  days. 
The  Russians  abandoned  the  burning  town ;  the  Bielo 
Gorod  was  destroyed,  and  much  of  the  Kitai  Gorod 
also ;    the   dwellings  and   warehouses   of  the  foreign 
10^ 


The  Troublous  Times 

merchants  were  consumed,  and  the  "English  factory" 
lost  several  of  its  members.  Some  went  into  the 
cellars  and  were  suffocated,  the  survivors  made  a  dash 
for  the  Kremlin,  and  were  helped  over  the  wall  by 
the  Poles,  where  their  position  was  precarious,  for  they 
were  amidst  a  town  in  flames  in  a  foreign  country, 
among  a  people  in  revolt  against  the  garrison.  Some 
vestiges  of  this  fire  are  still  found  occasionally  when 
excavating  —  old  vaults  full  of  charred  wood  and 
burned  bricks — whilst  the  wall  of  the  Kitia  Gorod 
itself  is  said  to  bear  evidence  in  several  places  of  the 
fire  that  for  days  raged  round  it,  and  vitrified  the 
bricks  and  tiles  of  its  battlements  and  machecoules. 
When  the  news  of  the  disaster  in  Moscow  reached  Sigis- 
mund  he  sent  the  delegates  and  hostages  as  prisoners 
to  Marienburg.  Shortly  afterwards  Smolensk  capitu- 
lated :  the  brave  Shein  was  tortured  for  holding  out  so 
long,  then  Sigismund  returned  to  Warsaw  and  led  the 
ex-Tsar  Shooiski  in  triumph  through  the  streets.  He 
delayed  in  hastening  needed  reinforcements  to  the 
besieged  garrison  in  the  Kremlin  of  Moscow,  counting 
those  that  reached  it  during  the  conflagration  suflrtcient. 

During  Easter  week  Liapunov  arrived ;  he  was 
closely  followed  by  Zarutski  with  Don-Cossacks  and 
Prince  Troubetskoi  with  the  levies  from  Kaluga.  The 
Russian  forces  camped  on  the  ashes  of  the  Bielo  Gorod 
and,  if  the  leaders  had  been  united  and  vigilant,  success 
might  have  been  theirs.  Day  by  day  the  situation 
became  more  dangerous  for  the  beleaguered  Poles — 
obliged  to  make  frequent  sorties  for  food,  and  losing 
men  on  each  occasion.  Zapieha  made  an  attempt  to 
relieve  the  garrison  but  failed ;  the  100,000  Russians 
round  the  Kremlin  kept  him  away,  but  themselves 
were  unable  to  carry  the  fortress  by  assault  and  too 
lax  to  starve  the  enemy  out. 

Gonsievski  did  well.     Threats  failing  to  move  the 

105 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

stubborn  Hermogen,  a  letter  was  written  to  the  leader 
of  the  Cossacks  to  the  effect  that  Liapunov  intended 
to  ruin  them.  They  treacherously  killed  him ;  the 
cause  of  Russia  seemed  lost,  for  there  was  no  longer 
a  leader  in  whom  all  could  trust,  but  impostors  and 
intriguers  beyond  count.  The  Cossacks  determined 
to  fight  for  their  own  hand  ;  the  nobles  and  boyards 
held  aloof,  save  those  with  the  Poles  in  the  Kremlin. 
Zapieha  revictualled  the  garrison  ;  Sweden  threatened 
Novgorod,  and  called  the  heir-apparent  Tsar  of  Russia ; 
a  fresh  usurper  found  a  following  at  Pskov  ;  Cossacks, 
Poles  and  brigands  of  different  nationalities  overran  the 
country,  pillaged  towns  and  burned  villages,  and  during 
that  winter  of  i6i  1-12  food  was  so  scarce  that  "men 
devoured  each  other."  There  was  no  Sovereign  re- 
cognised, no  chief  authority,  no  law.  From  time  to 
time  the  Archimandrite  Denis,  and  his  able  seconder 
Abraham  Palitizin,  sent  letters  to  the  different  towns 
urging  the  people  to  rise,  retake  Moscow,  and  save 
the  holy  reHcs.  Hermogen  was  starving  imprisoned 
in  the  Kremlin  ;  the  Poles  allowed  the  ex-patriarch 
Ignatius  to  act  in  his  stead.  Moscow  was  powerless. 
The  other  towns  commenced  to  govern  themselves  and 
to  raise  local  forces  for  their  own  protection. 

The  high  priest  Sabbas  made  a  stirring  appeal  to 
the  people  to  unite  and  deliver  their  fatherland.  His 
eloquence  moved  the  citizens  of  Nijni-Novgorod  to 
tears.  He  called  on  the  faithful  "  to  assert  their  unity, 
join  together  to  defend  the  pure  and  true  religion  of 
Christ,  free  the  holy  cathedral  of  the  Blessed  Virgin, 
and  recover  the  sainted  remains  of  the  miracle  workers 
of  Moscow." 

An  elder  of  the  province,  one  Cosma  Minin,  by  trade 

a  butcher,  exhorted  his  neighbours  to  initiate  the  rising. 

His  appeal  was,  **  Orthodox  !      If  we  wish  to  save  our 

country,  do  not  fear  to  sacrifice  our  goods,  to  sell  our 

106 


The  Troublous  Times 


possessions,  aye,  even  to  pledge  our  wives  and  children 
if  need  be,  and  find  a  commander  faithful  to  our  religion 
and  capable  of  leading  us,  then  will  victory  be  ours !  " 

The  most  suitable  leader  seemed  to  Minin  to  be  the 
Prince  Pojarski  who  had  fought  at  Moscow  and  been 
wounded  in  the  fray.  He  lived  near  by  on  his  estate 
in  Suzdal,  and  to  him  Minin  went  and  offered  the 
command  of  the  volunteering  peasants.  Pojarski  had 
shown  no  strong  partisanship,  had  sought  favours  of 
no  one,  and  was  willing  to  fight  for  the  general  good. 
These  provincials  were  undoubtedly  in  earnest;  a  three 
days'  fast  was  enjoined  and  made  obligatory  for  all, 
even  suckling  babes.  When  the  troops  began  to  gather 
together,  in  the  spring  of  161 2,  the  Poles  and  boyards 
in  the  Kremlin  became  desperate,  and  once  more 
ordered  Hermogen  to  command  the  leaders  to  disperse 
their  forces.  He  refused  ;  and  in  the  days  of  dire 
necessity  that  followed  he  died,  starved  to  death,  and 
was  buried  within  the  Chudov  Monastery. 

Prince  Pojarski  advanced  very  slowly  towards 
Moscow :  it  appeared  to  be  that  he  was  waiting  for 
an  assembly  general  at  Yaroslavl  to  elect  a  tsar,  fearing 
without  a  sovereign  the  Russian  provincial  troops  would 
not  act  together  against  so  many  enemies,  native  and 
foreign. 

The  garrison  of  the  Kremlin,  now  commanded  by 
Struss,  was  ill-provisioned.  The  Cossacks  had  retired 
to  the  south-east,  Zarutski's  intention  being  to  beat  up 
reinforcements  and  re-attack  with  the  followers  of  the 
"  little  Tsar "  and  secure  the  throne  for  Marina  and 
her  son.  From  the  west,  Khodkevich  came  with  re- 
inforcements and  provisions  to  the  relief  of  Struss. 
Pojarski  arrived  on  the  1 8th  August,  but  was  separated 
from  Troubetskoi.  On  the  21st  August  Khodkevich 
arrived  on  that  side  of  the  town  guarded  by  Pojarski, 
whose  troops  therefore  were  the  first  to  be  attacked. 

107 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

On  the  23rd  the  poles  and  Pojarski  engaged  in  a  fierce 
battle.  Later  Troubetskoi  led  his  men  also  against  the 
Poles,  and  with  him  went  a  part  of  the  Cossack  army. 
Khodkevich  was  driven  back,  but  fought  stubbornly. 
The  next  day  he  renewed  his  attempt  to  reach  the 
Kremlin.     Pojarski  begged  Troubetskoi  to  join  forces, 


OOM    ROMANOF 


and  Abraham  Politzin  persuaded  the  Cossacks  to  assist 
in  defeating  the  Polish  relief.  Attacked  on  both  sides 
simultaneously,  Khodkevich  retreated  from  the  com- 
manding position  he  had  occupied  ;  then  the  sudden 
appearance  of  Minin,  with  a  few  hundred  peasants  who 
108 


The  Troublous  Times 

fought  most  savagely,  turned  the  retreat  into  a  rout,  and 
the  Polish  treasure  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Cossacks. 
After  this  victory  Pojarski  and  Troubetskoi  joined 
forces  and  formed  a  provisional  administration.  The 
defenders  of  the  Kremlin  were  in  despair.  They  were 
short  of  food  and  ammunition,  and  the  fact  that  300 
Poles  had  forced  their  way  through  the  Russian  ranks 
and  joined  the  garrison  was  in  no  way  advantageous. 
Soon  they  deserted  the  Kitai  Gorod  and  took  refuge 
in  the  Kremlin,  holding  it  a  month  longer  in  hope  that 
relief  would  reach  them.  The  usual  horrors  of  a  long 
siege  were  manifest;  not  only  did  they  devour  every- 
thing that  was  eatable,  but  even  gnawed  at  their  own 
flesh  and  disinterred  corpses.  The  boyards  with  their 
wives  and  families  were  sent  out  of  the  Kremlin  and 
at  last  the  Poles  were  compelled  by  hunger  to  surrender. 
On  the  25th  October  the  Muscovites  made  their  entry 
into  the  Kremlin,  and  after  much  thanksgiving  and 
praise,  proceeded  to  the  election  of  a  new  ruler. 
Sigismund  with  an  army  was  coming  to  the  relief  of 
the  Poles,  but  was  unable  to  subdue  the  towns  on  his 
way.  His  ambassadors  to  the  Muscovites  were  not 
even  received  by  the  victorious  leaders.  The  Swedes 
were  informed  that  no  one  of  their  race  would  be 
elected.  Boyards  intrigued  for  Galitzin,  for  Shooiski, 
and  for  others.  The  provincial  army  was  determined 
that  there  should  be  a  general  assembly  for  the  election 
of  the  Tsar,  and  the  candidate  most  favoured  by  all 
classes  seemed  to  be  the  young  Michael  Theodorovich 
Romanof. 

Old  men  remembered  Anastasia  Romanof,  the  first 
wife  of  Ivan  the  Terrible ;  younger  ones  had  nothing 
but  praise  for  Philaret,  the  present  head  of  the  family ; 
all  pitied  the  persecutions  and  hardships  its  members 
had  suffered  because  of  their  relationship  to  the  old 
royal  line — if  unanimity  was  necessary,  no  candidate 

109 


The  Story  of  Moscoiv 

had  so  good  a  chance  of  securing  it  as  had  the  young 
Romanof.  On  February  2ist,  1613,  the  electors 
met  around  the  Lobnoe  Mesto  in  the  Grand  Square. 
The  crowd  shouted  lustily  for  Mikhail  Theodorovich 
Romanof,  and  to  the  general  wish  the  electors  gave  the 
only  possible  expression.  By  some  it  is  thought  that 
the  crown  was  offered  to  Pojarski  who  declined  it ;  it 
is  a  fiction  of  latter  day  poets,  as  are  Dmitriev^s  lines  : — 

"  What — what  shall  be  his  recompense  ? 
Look  !     He  who  made  the  invaders  bleed 
And  Moscow  and  his  country  freed, 
He — modest  as  courageous — he 
Takes  the  bright  garland  from  his  brow, 
And  to  a  youth  he  bends  him  now, 
He  bends  an  aged  and  hero-knee 
<  Thou  art  of  royal  blood,'  he  said, 
'  Thy  father  is  in  our  foeman's  hand  ; 
Wear  then  this  garland  on  thy  head 
And  bless — O  bless,  our  father-land  I  ' " 

The  new  dynasty  was  founded,  but  quite  early,  if  the 
tradition  be  true,  was  likely  to  have  been  extinguished. 
The  Poles  on  learning  the  news  endeavoured  to  put  the 
young  Romanof  to  death  ;  an  attempt  to  waylay  him 
was  frustrated  by  the  heroism  of  the  peasant  Sussanin 
who,  in  the  district  of  Kostroma,  gave  his  "  life  for  the 
Tsar  "  by  leading  astray  in  the  forest  the  murderous 
band  searching  for  him.  Historians  now  say  that  he 
had  no  opportunity  of  so  doing,  but  the  fact  remains 
that  for  some  service  rendered  the  Romanofs  the 
Sussanins  for  many  generations  enjoyed  rare  privileges, 
and  if  the  tale  be  not  true,  it  has  at  least  resulted  in 
the  Russians  obtaining  from  the  theme  their  finest  opera. 
Glinka's  ««  Life  for  the  Tsar." 

The  **  time  of  trouble  "  for  Moscow  was  not  over 
on  the  appointment  of  a  Tsar,  but  the  Muscovites 
entered  upon  a  very  glorious  era  with  a  Tsar  of  their 
own  choosing. 

110 


CHAPTER  Vn 
Moscoiv   of  the   Tsars 

"  Mid  forests  deep  the  turrets  gleaming 
Of  Moscow's  gorgeous  Kremlin  stand, 
Beauteous  golden-crown ! 
Peerless  white-walled  town  !  " 

All  Russian  Poets. 

\A/R ITERS  in  the  west  still  ignore  the  history  of 
Russia  previous  to  the  reign  of  Peter  the  Great, 
attributing  to  that  monarch  reforms  he  did  not  initiate, 
and  a  policy  of  which  he  was  not  the  author  and 
followed  but  indifferently.  The  real  makers  of  the 
Russian  nation  were  the  wise  Romanofs  who  preceded 
the  tyrant  Peter.  The  history  of  the  period  may  be 
briefly  recounted,  apart  from  the  story  of  the  con- 
struction of  the  great  town — the  Moscow  of  the  Tsars. 
It  was  under  the  Tsar  Michael  that  the  relations  of 
Russia  with  the  west  became  general ;  under  Alexis, 
who  succeeded  him  in  1645,  not  only  were  the  Poles 
driven  back  and  other  enemies  conquered,  but  those 
great  social  and  economic  reforms  were  introduced, 
the  working  of  which  subsequently  "  westernised  '* 
Russia.  Theodore  during  his  short  reign  of  five  years 
successfully  continued  what  his  father  had  commenced. 
It  was  the  claims  made  on  behalf  of  his  half-brother 
Peter  that  caused  the  hands  of  the  clock  to  be  set 
back.  The  story  of  Peter  is  well  known,  but  its  teach- 
ing has  been  often  misinterpreted.     To  obtain  the  truth 

III 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

let  the  Moscow  of  Theodore  Alexeivich  be  compared 
with  the  Russia  of  Peter,  or  of  any  of  his  eighteenth 
century  successors.  The  one  exhibits  the  highest 
normal  achievement  of  purely  Muscovite  ideals,  and 
reveals  the  capacity  of  Russia  to  absorb  what  is  nearest 
akin  to  its  own  spirit  from  among  the  more  progressive 
motives  of  the  west.  Peter  crudely  grafted  a  coarse 
imitation  of  western  forms  upon  a  rarer  stock  ;  stagnation 
and  corruption  were  the  result.  It  was  not  until  the 
nineteenth  century,  and  the  complete  abandonment  of 
Peter^s  policy,  that  Russia  once  more  advanced  towards 
civilisation. 

A  country  devastated  by  foreign  invaders  and 
surrounded  with  bitter  and  relentless  enemies ;  a 
territory  wasted  by  internecine  warfare ;  the  cinders 
of  a  capital ;  an  empty  treasury ;  a  famished  and 
pestilent  ridden  people — such  was  the  gift  of  the 
electors  in  1613  to  Michael  Theodorovich  Romanof, 
a  boy  of  sixteen,  whose  mother  was  in  a  convent  and 
father  in  a  foreign  prison.  No  wonder  that  he  hesitated, 
and  that  his  friends  urged  prudence.  The  people  were 
honest,  and  Michael  exacted  proofs  of  their  earnestness. 
Slowly  he  advanced  towards  Moscow,  urging  his 
subjects  to  prepare  suitable  apartments  for  himself 
and  his  mother  in  the  spoiled  ruins  of  the  Kremlin, 
to  store  afresh  the  warehouses  with  provisions  and 
replenish  the  treasury.  The  boyards  answered  that 
they  had  already  prepared  the  palace  of  Ivan  for 
himself,  and  a  suite  in  the  convent  of  the  Ascension 
for  his  mother,  but  it  was  impossible  to  restore  the 
Golden  Palace  and  terem  of  the  Tsaritsa  Irene,  for 
there  was  no  money,  carpenters  were  lacking,  the 
buildings  roofless,  and  the  stairs,  corridors,  doors, 
windows,  and  all  furnishings  were  no  longer  in  ex- 
istence ;  it  would  be  necessary  to  rebuild,  and  time 
pressed.     Michael  was  not  satisfied  ;  the  palaces  must 

1 12 


I 


Moscow  of  the  Tsars 

be  made  fit  for  habitation,  if  materials  were  lacking 
those  of  other  buildings  must  be  used,  and  as  for  the 
apartments  in  the  convent,  "  it  will  not  suit  my  mother 
to  occupy  them."  Ultimately  the  Tsar's  behests  were 
executed,  and  in  May  he  made  his  state  entry,  more 
than  two  months  after  his  election  to  the  throne.' 

Both  at  home  and  abroad  his  position  was  regarded 
as  precarious.     Zarutski,  who  had  with  him  Marina 
Mniszek,  the  widow  of  the  false  Dmitri,  and  her  son, 
held  Kazan  and  ruled  the  districts  bordering  the  Volga. 
He  was  ultimately  captured,  and  executed  in  Moscow. 
Marina  and   her   son  were  also  taken  ;  according   to 
native  writers  she  "died  in  prison  of  chagrin"  ;  accord- 
mg  to  foreigners  in  Russia  at  that  time,  she  and  her  son 
were  thrust  beneath  the  ice  on  the  river  Oka.     Sweeden 
continued  the  war,  and  would  not  relinquish  her  claim 
to  the  throne.     It  terminated  after  Gustavus  Adolphus 
was  repulsed  at  Pskov,  and  failed  to  take  Narva.     A 
Swedish  oflicer  states  that « from  their  youth  up,  the 
Muscovites  are  inured  to  continuous  labour  and  much 
fasting,  and  can  make  shift  long  with  meal,  salt  and 
water  only.     They   hold  it  to  be  a  deadly  and  un- 
pardonable sin  to  surrender  a  fortress,  and  prefer  to  die 
happily  for  their  Tsar  and   country."     The  Swedes 
contemplated   a   long  siege,   but  by   the   good    oflices 
of  the  Dutch  and  English  an  armistice  of  three  months 
was  agreed  to,  and  in  1617  a  lasting  peace  concluded  on 
terms  disadvantageous  to  Russia.     An  army  of  Poles 
was  marching  upon  Moscow,  when  it  was  re-inforced 
by    Ronashevich-Salidachni    at   the    head    of  20,000 
Cossacks ;   Michael  repulsed  their  attack  on  Moscow, 
but,  anxious  to  secure  his  father's  release,  agreed  to 
relinquish    Smolensk,  so  a   peace  to  endure  fourteen 
years    and    six    months   was    thereupon    made.      Im- 
mediately after  his  coronation  the  Tsar  sent  envoys  to 
England,  Germany  and  the  Netherlands,  seeking  their 


H 


»i3 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

assistance  in  securing  peace.  The  English  promised 
a  loan  of  ;£  100,000  and  paid  16,000  roubles  only 
towards  it ;  but  King  James  prevented  Scots  taking 
service  in  Poland  against  Russia,  and  the  Tsar  obtained 
his  munitions  of  war  from  the  English  factory  at 
Archangel.  In  such  fashion  was  a  respite  obtained,  so 
that  undivided  attention  might  be  given  to  establishing 
good  order  within  the  Tsar's  Empire.  Surely  no  ruler 
started  with  greater  disadvantages  than  did  Michael. 
To  the  inexperience  of  youth  must  be  added  a  lack  of 
competent  advisers.  The  old  hereditary  aristocracy 
had  for  the  most  part  disappeared  ;  those  members  who 
survived  had  taken  sides  with  either  the  second  im- 
postor or  the  Poles,  and  in  them  he  dared  not  trust. 
There  remained  only  appointed  military  and  civil 
officers,  boyards,  whose  titles  were  not  hereditary, 
secretaries,  and  gentlemen  of  the  council.  In  Russia, 
where  there  was  no  general  instruction  and  little  learn- 
ing, all  was  left  to  a  governing  caste,  composed  of  men 
who,  from  their  noble  birth,  had  the  entree  to  the 
court  and  were  conversant  with  all  affairs  of  state ; 
it  was  this  "  caste  "  Michael  lacked.  The  men,  able 
men,  who  were  not  accustomed  to  rule,  did  not  seek 
responsible  posts.  Even  Pojarski,  the  saviour  of  the 
country,  said  to  Vasili  Galitzin,  "  If  we  had  found  such 
a  leader  as  you,  Vasili  Vasilievich,  all  the  country 
would  have  at  once  flocked  to  you,  and  it  would  not 
have  devolved  upon  me  to  direct  so  onerous  a  task." 
The  times  of  trouble  had  forced  simple  citizens  to 
occupy  positions  of  importance  ;  such  were  the  butcher 
Cosma  Minin,  Zarutski,  Troubetskoi,  Liapunov  and 
Fedka  Andronov.  To  none  of  the  humble  born 
leaders  were  the  degenerate  nobles  prepared  to  grant 
precedence  or  even  equality  ;  whilst  on  the  other  hand, 
affairs  of  state  could  no  longer  be  entrusted  to  those 
who   had   betrayed   the  country,  or   by  past  conduct, 

114 


) 


Moscow  of  the  Tsars 

proved  themselves  incapable.     Squabbles  for  precedence 
at  once  recommenced. 

When    Dmitri    Mikhailovich    Pojarksi,    the    great 
liberator,  was  created  a  boyard,  one  Gabriel  Pushkin 
threw  himself  at  the  Tsar's  feet  and  pleaded  that  the 
thing  might  not  be,  for  "his  own  family  was  in  no 
way  inferior   to   that   of   Pojarski,"  who,   as   boyard, 
would  be  appointed   a  higher  place  than  he  himself 
occupied  at  court.      These  nobles  could  not,  or  would 
not,  understand   that  services  to   the  state  should   be 
considered.     Birth  alone  was  to  count,  for  these  nobles 
to  remain  side  by  side  with  a  person  of  inferior  birth 
was  considered  an  ignominy  to  which  death  itself  was 
preferable.     On  the  occasion  of  the  Tsar's  coronation, 
there  were  several  disputes  for  priority  of  place,  not- 
withstanding that  the  Tsar  had  ordered  that  during  the 
ceremonies  all  ranks   were   to   be   discarded.      Before 
the    coronation,    in    the   palace   of  the   Golden    Seal 
Prince  Tretiakov,  the  secretary,  nominated  those  who 
were  to  bear  the  regalia.     "Prince   Mstislavski  will 
throw    the    golden    coins    upon    the    Tsar;    the    new 
boyard,  Ivan  Nikitich  Romanof,  will  carry  the  crown  of 
Monomachus  ;  Prince  Dmitri  Troubetskoi,  the  sceptre; 
the    new    boyard,    Prince    Pojarski,    the    *  globe !  ' " 
Troubetskoi  took  offence  that  he  had  to  cede  his  place 
to  a  Romanof,  albeit  a  relative  of  his  sovereign.     The 
Tsar  answered,  "  It  may  be  that  your  rank  is  higher 
than  that  of  Ivan,  but  he  is  my  uncle,  and  you  must 
give  place  to  him  at  a  time  when  the  order  of  rank  is 
not    to   be    observed."     This    appeased    Troubetskoi, 
but   later,   one   Boris   Likof,  invited   to  the  table  of 
the   Tsar,   would   not  cede  his  place   until  the  Tsar 
personally  intervened.      On  the  next  occasion  he  failed 
to  attend,  although  the  Tsar  twice  sent  for  him.    Each 
time  he  sent  the  same  answer,  "  I  am  ready  to  yield  my 
life  on  the  scaffold,  but  allow  a  Romanof  to  take  preced- 

"5 


The  Story  of  Moscow 


Moscow  of  the  Tsars 


fl 


W 


ence  of  a  Likof  I  will  not!"  Sometimes  these  quarrels 
embarrassed  the  Tsar  on  occasions  of  state,  as  when,  at 
the  reception  of  the  Persian  envoys,  his  body-guard  dis- 
appeared. One  hid  himself  away  so  quickly  that  he  could 
not  be  found ;  another  feigned  indisposition ;  another  was 
dragged  into  the  presence  coupled  with  Prince  Romo- 
danovski ;  Cherchugov  complained  of  Romodanovski, 
and  Prince  Pojarski  also  took  offence,  and  upbraided 
Cherchugov  for  dishonouring  his  rank  by  his  alliance  with 
Romodanovski.  The  Tsar  ordered  Cherchugov  to  be 
beaten,  and  determined  to  avoid  such  annoyances  in  future 
by  choosing  his  bodyguard  from  among  the  lesser  nobles, 
who  could  not  plead  the  privileges  of  their  ancestors. 
When  Telepnef  and  Larionof  were  appointed,  one  at 
once  took  offence  and  pointed  out  to  the  Tsar  that  he 
was  a  freeman  of  Moscow,  whereas  the  other  was  but 
a  secretary  !  Such  were  the  earlier  troubles  of  the 
boy-Tsar,  who  longed  for  the  advice  of  his  father  in 
such  matters  of  trifling  importance  ;  he,  on  his  return  to 
Moscow,  ruled  the  court  with  commanding  adroitness. 
This  matter  of  precedence  came  to  the  front  again 
in  the  next  reign,  when  Alexis  settled  it  once  and  for 
all.  Hereditary  rank  was  based  upon  the  achievements 
of  one's  ancestors,  which,  with  the  titles  and  honours 
of  the  successful,  were  enumerated  in  the  manuscript- 
books  treasured  by  each  family.  In  practice  no  noble 
would  accept  an  office  inferior  to  that  occupied  by  his 
illustrious  forefathers.  Often  incapable  as  military 
leaders,  this  meant  ruin  to  the  state.  Alexis,  after  suf- 
ficient experience  of  the  disasters  the  system  entailed, 
proposed  the  abolition  of  hereditary  rank,  and  petitioned 
the  Church  to  pronounce  upon  his  finding  that  "  pre- 
cedence was  an  institution  invented  by  the  devil,  for  the 
purpose  of  destroying  Christian  love  and  of  increasing 
the  hatred  of  brother  for  brother."  In  due  course  the 
Patriarch  declared  that  in  the  opinion  of  the  Church, 
ii6 


"precedence   was    a    system    opposed    to    God,    and 
intended  to  cause  confusion  and  hatred."     Thereupon 


BELVEDERE    OF    THE    TEREM 


the  nobles  were  commanded  to  deliver  up  their  "  golden 
books  of  honour  and  great  deeds,"  and  the  records 
were  burned,  so  that  henceforth  precedence  depended 
upon  court  and  military  rank  alone. 

"7 


\ 


The  Story  of  Moscow 


When  Michael  ascended  the  throne  the  two  most 
powerful  factions  of  the  nobility  were  those  headed 
respectively  by  the  Miloslavksis  and  the  Soltikovs, 
between  whom  no  love  was  lost.  To  obtain  greater 
influence  and  power  they  intrigued  for  the  marriage  of 
the  Tsar.  Michael's  choice  was  one  Marie  Kholopov, 
to  whom  he  was  betrothed.  Before  marriage  she  was 
drugged  at  the  instigation  of  the  Soltikovs,  and  her 
illness  represented  as  incurable.  She,  and  all  her 
relatives,  were  then  banished  to  Siberia  for  "  attempt- 
ing to  deceive  the  Tsar,"  and  remained  in  exile  seven 
years,  when  the  Patriarch  discovered  the  intrigue. 
This  resulted  in  the  fall  of  the  Soltikovs  from  power, 
and  the  return  of  the  Khlopovs  to  Nijni-Novgorod. 
Michael  next  chose  Marie  Dolgoruki,  but  she  died  a 
few  months  after  marriage,  and  twelve  months  later, 
Michael  was  urged  to  marry  again.  The  earlier 
method  of  selecting  a  bride  was  resorted  to  upon  this 
occasion,  and  the  Tsar's  intention  made  known  through- 
out the  empire.  According  to  S.  W.  Glinka  what 
took  place  is  as  follows  : — 

*''On  the  morrow  the  Tsar  was  to  make  known  publicly 
whom  he  had  chosen  as  his  bride.  That  evening  the  carriages 
of  the  palace  brought  to  his  residence  the  marriageable  daughters 
of  all  the  noble  and  illustrious  families  who  had  gathered  in 
Moscow  for  this  election.  These  young  ladies  of  high  degree 
all  wore  the  vestments  provided  by  the  Tsar,  and  were  accom- 
panied by  their  mothers,  or  a  near  relative.  In  turn  they  were 
presented  to  the  Tsar's  mother,  Martha  Ivanovna,  and  the 
mothers  and  relatives  then  returned  to  their  homes ;  the  young 
ladies,  attended  by  their  maids  remained,  and  donned  the 
nightdresses  they  had  brought  with  them.  The  chambers 
to  which  they  were  appointed  contained  two  rows  of  beds. 
Towards  midnight,  the  Tsar,  accompanied  by  his  mother,  went 
in  to  examine  the  candidates.  The  scrutiny  finished,  he 
returned  to  his  own  apartments,  and  his  mother  anxiously 
inquired  upon  whom  his  choice  had  fallen.  To  her  surprise, 
Michael  indicated  the  maid  of  one  of  the  ladies.  Martha 
Ivanovna  could  not  believe  her  ears.     She  earnestly  begged  her 

ii8 


Moscow  of  the  Tsars 


son  to  reflect,  before  offending  the  pride  and  dignity  of  the 
princes,  nobles  and  boyards  by  such  a  choice.  Then  she 
asked  a  definite  answer,  for,  before  the  sun  rose,  it  would  have 
to  be  declared  officially,  before  the  Patriarch  and  the  clergy 
assembled  in  the  cathedral  of  the  Assumption  for  that  purpose. 
Michael  answered,  '  I  have  obeyed  you  and  the  will  of  God  in 
accepting  the  crown.  Never  have  I  dared  to  act  contrary  to 
your  wishes.  You  have  always  been  my  counsellor  and  my 
support:  I  will  do  as  you  wish  .  .  .  but  .  .  .  but  .  .  .  never 
.  .  .  never  .  .  .  will  I  choose  another ;  nor  love  anyone  else. 
It  is  my  fate  to  be  unhappy!  I  lost  my  wife  a  few  months 
after  my  marriage — now,  to-day,  I  am  deprived  of  the  bride 
of  my  choice.  She  is  of  humble  birth  ;  perhaps  she  is  poor ; 
may  be,  unhappy.  But  I  also  have  sufli;red — I  too  have  been 
persecuted  ! '  and  the  Tsar  burst  into  tears.  Martha  Ivanovna 
could  not  resist  this  appeal.  '  My  son,  my  son  1  *  she  cried, 
*  have  I  not  sufl'ered  as  well?  My  husband  languishing  in 
exile  ;  the  murderous  swords  of  cruel  enemies  directed  towards 
you  !  Heaven  has  protected  you,  has  chosen  you  to  rule  this 
realm.  May  the  will  of  God  be  done !  I  will  not  thwart 
your  desire.     Take  for  wife  the  one  whom  you  have  chosen.' 

"  Thereupon  Martha  Ivanovna  at  once  sought  out  what  she 
could  respecting  the  young  girl  her  son  had  noticed.  She  was 
informed  that  her  name  was  Eudoxia,  the  daughter  of  Lucian 
Stephanovich  Striechnef,  a  poor  gentleman  of  Mojaisk,  and 
herself  a  distant  relative  of  the  lady  in  whose  service  she  was. 
Just  as  her  mistress  was  haughty,  proud  and  overbearing,  so 
was  the  maid  docile  and  modest.  Michael  himself  had  had 
to  bear  oppression.  Ill-treatment  he  hated.  He  felt  for 
Eudoxia,  and  chose  her  because  she  was  ill-used. 

"Then  Eudoxia  was  led  into  the  Tsar's  apartments,  was 
richly  clothed,  and  presented  with  jewels.  Martha  Ivanovna 
called  her  daughter,  and  the  Tsar  himself  called  God  to  witness 
that  she  was  his  bride.  The  Patriarch,  Philaret,  gave  his 
blessing  to  his  son,  both  as  father  and  as  head  of  the  church. 
The  clergy  prayed  that  the  pride  of  the  wicked  might  be 
humbled  and  the  virtuous  protected.  The  citizens  were  pleased 
and  shouted  '  Long  live  Michael  and  Eudoxia  !  '  and  there  was 
general  rejoicing.  Then  the  daughters  of  the  princes,  and 
nobles,  and  boyards,  were  presented  to  Eudoxia  and  made 
their  homage.  In  her  confusion  and  modesty  she  would  not 
allow  them  to  kiss  her  hand,  but  cordially  embraced  each  maid. 
When  it  came  to  the  turn  of  her  own  relation,  the  frightened 
girl  threw  herself  at  the  feet  of  Eudoxia  and  begged  for  mercy 
and  pardon.     Eudoxia  bent  down  and  said,  «  You  also  forgive 

119 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

me!  it  in  any  way  I  have  offended.*  Forthwith  the  lovers 
were  formally  betrothed,  and,  as  all  the  world  knows,  Michael 
married  Eudoxia,  and  they  lived  happy  ever  afterwards." 

Another  story,  quite  as  like  a  fairy  tale  as  this  is, 
concerns  itself  with  Eudoxia's  father,  whom  the  am- 
bassadors of  the  Tsar  found  at  the  plough.  Lucian 
was  not  surprised  at  his  daughter's  good  fortune ;  he 
saw  in  it  only  the  hand  of  Providence.  When  he  for- 
sook his  thatched  cottage  for  a  suite  in  the  palace,  he 
carried  away  with  him  his  old  clothes  and  other  things, 
which  he  hung  on  the  wall  of  his  new  apartment,  and 
each  morning  uncovered  them  that  he  might  not  forget 
his  origin,  and  be  mindful  of  the  workers  and  the  poor. 
He  lived  for  many  years  within  the  Kremlin,  saw 
Eudoxia's  son,  Alexis,  upon  the  throne,  and  found 
himself  an  honoured  member  of  his  own  grandson's 
household,  and  surrounded  by  his  daughter's  numerous 
royal  grandchildren. 

The  next  occasion  that  offered  for  the  intrigues  of 
those  who  sought  court  influence  through  a  matrimonial 
alliance  was  in  1647  when  Alexis,  the  son  of  Michael 
and  Eudoxia,  resolved  to  marry.  Of  the  two  hundred 
noble  maids  assembled  for  his  selection  he  chose 
Euphemia  Vsevolojski,  who  had  enemies.  These 
arranged  their  plans  with  her  maids-of-honour.  When 
she  was  attired  in  the  royal  robes,  her  attendants  twisted 
her  hair  so  tightly  that  she  swooned  in  the  Tsar's  pre- 
sence, and  the  Court  physician  declared  her  to  be 
epileptic.  She  and  her  family  were  thereupon  banished 
to  far  away  Tiumen  in  Siberia.  The  next  year  Alexis 
married  Marie  Ilyinichna  Miloslavski,  who  bore  him 
thirteen  children,  and  died  in  childbed  in  1669.  In 
his  next  marriage  Alexis  observed  the  letter  of  the 
customary  proceeding  but  disregarded  its  spirit.  At 
that  time  his  chief  counsellor  was  Artemon  Sergievich 
Matviev,  a  man  who  had  commanded  a  foreign  regiment 
120 


Moscow  of  the  Tsars 

in  the  wars  and  married   Mary  Hamilton,  one  of  a 
Scotch  family  resident  in  Moscow.     Matviev  had  no 
daughter,    but    living    with    the    family    was    Natalia 
Naryshkin,  the  daughter   of  Cyril  Naryshkin,  whose 
brother  Theodore  had  married  a  Hamilton,  the  niece  of 
Matviev's  wife.     Matviev  made  his  house  as  attractive 
as  he  could  to  the  Tsar,  giving  western  entertainments, 
even  to  the  performance  of  comedies  and  tragedies  in 
his  private  theatre.      Western  manners  prevailed  among 
them  ;  his  wife  dressed  in  what  were  called  "  German  " 
clothes,  and  both  she  and  her  ward  appeared  at  table 
although  strangers  might  be  present.      When  the  Tsar 
visited  Matviev,  Natalia,  a  tall,  shapely  brunette,  her- 
self served  him  with  vodka  and  zakuska.     One  day  the 
Tsar  informed  Matviev  that  he  would .  find  a  husband 
for  this  charming  ward  ;  and,  when  the  nobles  were 
ordered  to  assemble  their  daughters,  Natalia  also  re- 
ceived a  command  to  attend  at  the  palace.      It  was  all 
prearranged,  but  to  allay  suspicion  a  second  assembly 
was  convened,  and  a  final  one  after  an  interval  of  three 
weeks.     When  it  became  known  that  Natalia  had  been 
chosen,  there  was  loud  outcry,  and  anonymous  letters 
reached  the  Tsar.     These  accused  Matviev  of  sorcery 
and  other  dark  crimes,  and  alleged  misdemeanour  on 
the  part  of  Natalia.      There  was  the  usual  investiga- 
tion ;    the    customary    torture ;    and    postponement    of 
the  marriage  for  nine  months.     On  January  the  22  nd 
1 67 1  the  ceremony  was  performed  with  great  pomp, 
and  Matviev  that  day  appointed  a  member  of  the  State 
Council  as  recompense  "  for  the  sufferings  he  had  under- 
gone in  connection  with  the  affair. "     Sixteen  months 
later — May  30th  1672 — Peter  the  Great  was  born. 

Natalia  Naryshkin  was  of  Tartar  descent,  but  her 
training  was  western,  and  as  tsaritsa  she  was  able  to 
free  some  of  the  "twenty-seven  locks"  with  which 
the   "  terem  "  was   guarded.     With   the  accession  of 

121 


The  Story  of  Mosco*w 


Moscow  of  the  T'sars 


the    Romanofs    there  was  a  strong  reaction  from  the 
licence  of  the  days  of  the  impostors,  a  reaction  which 


KRUTITSKI    VOROT 


the  all  powerful  Philaret  as  patriarch  did  his  utmost 
to  foster.  Natalia  was  required  to  conform  to  the 
rules  made  on  behalf  of  former  tsaritsas,  but  she 
succeeded  in  going  openly  to  church  with  her  husband, 

122 


saw  plays  through  a  latticed  window,  and  the  state 
reception  of  foreign  ambassadors  from  a  screened  loge* 
In  so  short  a  time  she  accomplished  much,  but  in 
1676  her  husband  died,  and  she  retired  with  her 
children  to  a  palace  near  the  foreign  suburb  of  Moscow, 
and  there  the  young  prince,  Peter,  was  raised  amid 
rough  surroundings,  for  the  Matvievs  were  exiled  and 
Natalia  barely  tolerated  so  near  the  Kremlin. 

Theodore  II,  was  most  scholarly  of  the  early  Tsars; 
he  was  educated  by  Polish  teachers,  and,  during  his 
short  reign  the  first  public  schools  in  Moscow  were 
founded  under  his  patronage.  He  separated  the 
military  from  the  civil  departments  ;  in  military  matters 
abolished  precedence,  and  so  altered  legal  procedure 
as  to  bring  justice  within  reach  of  the  people.  He 
built  the  episcopal  Palace  of  the  Monastery  of  St  Cyril 
at  the  Krutitski  Vorot,  and  was  particularly  active  in 
adding  to  the  beautiful  churches  of  Moscow.  To  him 
is  due  that  gem  of  Muscovite  ecclesiastical  architecture, 
the  church  of  the  Nativity  and  Flight,  in  the  Mala 
Dmitrovka  (v.  page  181).  With  an  eye  for  the  pictur- 
esque, he  laid  out  a  pleasure-garden  in  the  Kremlin  and 
another  on  th^  river  front  by  making  a  vaulted  embank- 
ment. Further  away  the  slopes  towards  the  river 
were  planted  with  ornamental  trees  ;  medicinal  herbs 
were  largely  cultivated,  and  the  first  hot-houses  appeared 
in  Moscow.  Private  dwellings  in  the  Kremlin  were 
demolished  to  afford  accomodation  for  public  buildings, 
and  particularly  for  homes  for  the  aged  and  sick,  for 
the  Tsar  resembled  his  father  and  grandfather  in  his 
care  of  those  who  had  served  him,  and  in  well-doing 
he  was  tireless.  He  disliked  pomp  and  ceremony, 
restricted  the  ordinary  citizens  of  noble  birth  to  two 
horses  in  their  carriages,  and  reduced  the  number  used 
by  others  on  State  occasions  ;  from  his  ascent  to  the 
throne  the  court  pageantry  declined. 

123 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

In  the  seventeenth  century  almost  the  whole  of  the 
Kremlin  was  occupied  with  buildings  appertaining 
either  to  the  state  or  the  superior  clergy.  The 
churches  are  still  sufficiently  in  evidence,  but  such  of 
the  old  dwellings  as  remain  have  to  be  approached 
through  more  recent  buildings.  The  Granovitaia 
(Facetted)  Palace  of  Ivan  III.  (1491)  presents  a 
fagade  to  the  Sobornia  Ploshchad,  but  this  in  no 
way  reveals  its  antiquity.  The  constant  renewal  of 
the  exterior  which  is  indispensable  to  preservation  in 
the  destructive  climate  of  Moscow,  to  some  extent 
accounts  for  this  ;  and  the  "  terem,"  the  outside  of 
which  may  be  viewed  from  the  quadrangle  on  which 
stands  the  old  church  "  Spass  na  Boru,"  is  equally 
disappointing  in  this  particular.  Even  to  see  the 
interiors  the  visitors  must  pass  through  the  Great 
Palace,  with  which  these  old  dwellings  are  now  in- 
corporated. The  site  occupied  by  the  eastern  end  of 
the  Great  Palace  is  that  upon  which,  from  the  founding 
of  Moscow,  the  residences  of  its  rulers  have  been 
again  and  again  erected,  but  they  faced  the  east,  not 
south.  The  wooden  palaces  of  the  early  Romanofs 
have  entirely  disappeared  ;  Peter  the  Great  removed 
from  Moscow  whatever  would  serve  to  enrich  his 
new  capital,  and  allowed  the  old  royal  residences  to 
decay.  It  is  during  the  present  century  only  that 
they  have  been  restored  to  their  earlier  grandeur. 
The  palace  built  by  the  Empress  Elizabeth,  and 
occupied  by  Napoleon,  was  destroyed  by  the  fire  of 
1812. 

The  visitor  will  first  procure  a  billet  d'' admission  at 
the  Chamberlain's  office  in  Commandant  Street  (see 
plan),  turn  to  the  left  on  leaving  the  building,  and 
walking  towards  the  south,  at  the  end  of  the  street 
pass  under  the  Winter  Garden  which  connects  the 
Treasury  with   the  Great  Palace.      He  will  then  be 

124 


Referenc 
A-Ca.nnon    •-* -Entrances Footpaths 


X. 

2. 

3- 
4- 
5- 
6. 

7- 
& 

9- 
lo 
II. 

12. 

»3- 

14. 

15- 
16. 

17- 
x8. 

19- 

20. 

31. 
33. 
23- 
24- 
25- 


Nicholas  Gate 

Redeemer  Gate 

Secret  Gate 

Borovitski  Gate 

Trinity  Gate 

Belfry 

Cathedral  of  the  Assumption 

,,  ,,       Archangels 

„  „      Annunciation 

Granovitaya  Palace 
Grand  Palace 
Terem 

St  Saviours  in  the  Wood 
Ch.  of  the  Holy  Vestments 
Ch.  of  St  Saviour  behind  the  Golden  Gates 
Ch.  of  the  Nativity  of  the  V'irgia 
Ch.  of  St  Lazarus 
Ch.  of  the  Resurrection 
Ch.  of  St  Catherine  the  Martyr 
Ch.  of  the  Apostles 
The  Synod 

Ch.  of'^John  the  Baptist 
Ch.  of  the  Annunciation 
Ch.  of  Coustantine  and  Helen 
Chudov  Monastery 


a6. 
27. 
38. 
39. 
30. 
31- 
32- 
33- 
34- 

P: 

37- 
38. 
39- 
40. 

41. 
42. 
43 
44. 
45- 
46. 
47- 
48. 

49. 

SO. 


Place  o 

Grand 

Ch.  of 

Cathedi 

Tsar's 

Monum 

Alarm 

Tsarina 

Towero 

Oublietfe 

Water 

Ch.  of 

Ch.  of 

Ch.  of 

Hall  of 

Ch.  of 

Ch.  of 

Ch.  of 

Senate 

State 

Arsenal 


MLIN 


of  Ascension 
Palace 


Conven 
Pleasur^ 
Treasui . 

Tsarevijch's  Appartments 
"  the   Boyards 
]  entrance 
Alexis 
al  Square 
Iquare 

ent  to  Alexander  II. 
:3eU 

_  Tower 
f  Constantino  and  Helen 


Tower 
3t  Michael 
\csension 
he  Miracles 
Catherine  II. 
St  Catherine 
5t  Peter  and  Paul 
5t  Philip 
Square 
Qourt-yard 
Tower 


)\ 


Moscow  of  the  Tsars 

in  the  State  Courtyard ;  on  the  left  a  gateway  com- 
municates with  the  quadrangle  in  which  is  the  old 
church  "  Spass  na  Boru ;  *'  the  last  door  on  the  right 
is  the  public  entrance  to  the  Treasury.  Traversing 
the  courtyard  and  turning  to  the  left  he  will  reach 
the  grand  entrance  of  the  Great  Palace  and  enter 
there.  Passing  from  the  vestibule  by  the  escalier 
d^honneur  the  Hall  of  St  George  will  be  reached. 
It  contains  sixteen  allegorical  groups  commemorative 
of  the  conquests  by  Russia  of  Perm,  Kazan,  Siberia, 
Kamchatka,  Tartary,  the  Caucasus,  etc.  The  military 
order  of  St  George  was  founded  by  the  Empress 
Catherine  II.  in  1769,  but  the  effigy  of  St  George, 
on  his  white  horse,  slaying  the  Dragon,  as  already 
mentioned  is  of  Norse  origin  and  was  the  device  used  by 
Yaroslaf  the  Great  in  the  eleventh  century  and  definitely 
adopted  as  the  arms  of  the  principality  of  Moscow  by 
Dmitri*after  his  victory  over  the  Tartars  at  Kulikova 
(1380);  it  figured  on  the  coins,  and  April  23  (old 
style)  this  Saint's  day,  is  observed  throughout  Russia. 
The  names  inscribed  on  the  wall  are  those  of  the 
individuals  admitted  to  the  order,  and  of  the  regiments 
likewise  decorated  ;  in  short,  this  Hall  of  St  George 
Pobiedonosets  (the  Conqueror)  is  the  Russian  Valhalla. 
The  adjoining  Hall  of  Alexander  Nevski,  is  remarkable 
apart  from  its  richness  and  beauty,  for  the  six  pictures 
by  Miiller  illustrating  the  chief  events  in  the  life  of  the 
Saint :  beyond  is  the  Throne  room — Griffins,  the  device 
of  the  Romanofs,  conspicuous  in  the  decorations — and 
next  the  Hall  of  St  Catherine,  the  state  room  of  the 
Tsaritsa.  The  older  palaces  will  be  reached  directly 
from  the  Hall  of  St  Vladimir,  or,  after  passing  through 
the  personal  apartments  of  the  Tsar,  by  the  Holy  Cor- 
ridor, so  named  because  there  the  clergy  attend  to 
conduct  the  Tsar  to  state  services  in  the  Cathedrals. 
It  dates  from  the  reign  of  Ivan  III.  (15th  cent.)  and 

125 


The  Story  of  Moscow 


^^iyiss 


is,  in  short,  a  continuation  of  that  terrace  which  fronts 
the  eastern  side  of  the  Great  Palace,  and  has  its 
counterpart  in  the  principal  approach  to  every  old- 
fashioned  Russian  house.  The 
Krasnce  Kriltso — how  hateful  the 
vulgar,  and  absolutely  incorrect, 
translation,  "Red  Steps!"  —  is 
simply  the  state  entrance  to 
the  reception  rooms,  in  con- 
tradistinction to  the  Post- 
yelnoe  Kriltso  (Back  stairs) 
or  private  entrance,  com- 
municating with  the  personal 
apartments  of  the  sovereign, 
or  boyard.  To  comprehend 
the  importance  of  the  Terem 
rightly,  it  must  be  remembered 
that  actually  the  state  apartments 
of  the  sovereign  were  where  the 
Great  Palace  now  is,  and  that  this 
corridor  served  both  as  a  rendez- 
vous for  courtiers  and  the  Tsar's  way  of  communication 
from  his  private  to  his  official  suites.  Another  staircase, 
to  which  the  boyards  had  not  access,  led  directly  from 
the  inner  court,  near  the  Postyelnoe  Kriltso,  to  the 
Terem.  The  state  suite  in  the  seventeenth  century 
comprised  :  an  audience  chamber  (the  middle  Golden 
Palace)  ;  a  smaller  Golden  Palace,  once  the  audience 
chamber  of  the  Tsaritsa ;  the  Stolovia  Izba,  or  saloon 
for  fetes ;  the  Krestavia,  for  the  celebration  of  solemn 
ceremonies  by  the  clergy  and  household  ;  the  Otvietna 
Palace,  where  illustrious  visitors  were  entertained  ;  and 
the  Higher  Golden  Palace,  a  council  chamber  for  the 
consideration  of  grave  questions  of  state.  For  most 
of  these  purposes  the  buildings  still  in  existence  have 
served  temporarily  at  different  periods. 
126 


-o 


KRASNCE    KRILTSO 


Moscow  of  the  'Tsars 

Descending  seven  steps  from  this  corridor,  the  Palace 
of  the  Tsaritsa  Irene,  or  lesser  Golden  Palace,  is 
entered.  Sneguirev  is  of  opinion  that  this  was  originally 
the  apartment  of  the  Archbishop.  The  Slavonic 
inscription  over  the  portal  is  merely  to  the  effect  that 
the  decorations  were  made  by  order  of  Tsar  Alexis 
Mikhailovich,  and  restored  on  the  coronation  of  the 
Emperor  Paul.  It  was  here  that  in  1653  the  Tsaritsa 
Marie  Ilyinichna  received  the  Tsaritsa  of  Georgia,  and 
later  the  Tsaritsa  Natalia  Kyrilevna  received  the  homage 
of  the  Princes  of  Kasimof  and  Siberia.  On  the  vaulted 
roof  are  representations  of  Olga's  journey  to  Constanti- 
nople, Helena  obtaining  the  true  cross,  the  Council 
convened  by  the  Emperor  Theophilus  the  Iconoclast, 
and  portraits  of  the  Tsaritsas,  Irene,  Theodora,  Sophia, 
and  Olga.  A  vaulted  corridor  leads  to  an  entrance 
from  the  square  behind  the  Uspenski  Sobor.  It  is 
called  the  "  Passage  of  the  Patriarchs  "  from  the  seven 
portraits  of  the  Russian  Patriarchs  which  adorn  the  walls. 

Almost  upon  a  level  with  the  Holy  Corridor  is  the 
entrance  to  the  Old  Church  of  the  Nativity  of  the 
Virgin,  immediately  below  which  is  the  Chapel  of  the 
Resurrection  of  St  Lazarus  (see  page  45),  the  oldest 
existing  building  in  Moscow.  It  is  only  an  obscure 
crypt,  but  in  one  of  the  round  pillars,  facing  the 
ikonastas  is  a  niche  which  probably  served  as  the  loge 
of  the  reigning  prince.  The  entrance  with  an  old 
inscription  was  but  recently  discovered.  The  Church 
of  the  Nativity  of  the  Virgin,  dates  from  1393,  when 
the  Tsaritsa  Eudoxia,  wife  of  Dmitri  Donskoi,  erected 
the  first  structure  on  the  side  of  the  older  Church  of 
St  Lazarus.  It  was  destroyed  by  lightning  in  1414, 
burned  in  147  3,  fell  in  1480,  and  in  1514  was  rebuilt 
by  Vasili  Ivanovich,  and  probably  again  reconstructed 
early  in  the  seventeenth  century.  It  then  became  one 
of  the  churches  of  the  palace,  and  has  remained  the 

127 


\ 


\A 


T*he  Story  of  Moscow 

particular  church  of  the  Tsaritsas.  The  old  stoves 
are  of  an  ancient  Russian  model ;  according  to  tradition 
the  Tsaritisas  in  bygone  days  were  placed  upon  one  of 
these  stoves  during  their  confinements.  The  ikonostas 
was  injured  in  1812,  but  has  been  restored  and  some 
of  the  ikons  are  richly  decorated  with  rubies  and  other 
gems  of  great  value. 

Above  the  lesser  Golden  Palace  is  a  chapel  of  small 
dimensions,  known  commonly  as  the  "  Cathedral  of  Our 
Saviour  behind  the  Golden  Gates,"  actually  dedicated 
to  "  Our  Saviour  on  High  "  ( Verkhospasski)  ;  its  other 
name  is  due  to  the  fact  that  the  entrance  to  it  is  on  the 
far,  or  private,  side  of  the  gilt  wicket  that  barred  the 
entrance  to  the  Terem.  It  was  built  in  1635  by  the 
Bajenko  Ogurtsev,  a  Russian  architect  employed  by 
the  Tsar  Michael,  and  was  restored  by  his  grandson, 
Theodore  II.,  and  many  times  subsequently.  In  the 
seventeenth  century  it  was  the  private  chapel  of  the 
sovereigns.  In  it  the  sons  of  Alexis  were  baptised  ; 
here  it  was  that  in  times  of  danger,  as  during  the  revolt 
of  the  Strelsti  (see  ch.  x.  and  p.  130)  the  royal  princes 
sought  refuge,  and  from  here  Ivan  Naryshkin  went  to 
his  murder  by  the  Strelsti  who  were  clamouring  for  his 
head.  The  church  is  closed  by  three  doors  all 
modelled  after  the  "  gilt  wicket "  ;  it  possesses  a  mag- 
nificent ikonostas  of  chiselled  silver,  the  gift  of  the 
Countess  Soltikov,  which  marvellously  escaped  the 
plunderers  of  1812.  Its  ikons  include  one  of  the 
Saviour,  "  not  made  with  hands  *'  (v.  chapter  ix.  p. 
182),  said  to  have  been  brought  to  Moscow  in  I472  by 
Sophia  Paleologus,  and  one  of  Lupin,  the  centurion, 
the  patron  saint  of  the  Romanofs.  There  is  also  an 
old  ikonastas  in  the  adjoining  chapel  of  St  John  the 
Baptist.  On  the  north  side  of  the  Verkhospasski 
Church,  also  on  this  third  storey,  is  the  Seventeenth 
Century  Church  of  the  Resurrection,  on  the  threshold 
128 


Mosco*w  of  the  Tsars 

of  which,  if  tradition  may  be  believed,  Athanasius 
Naryshkin  was  struck  down  by  the  Streltsi  in  1682. 
It  is  lighter  than  ordinary  Russian  Churches,  lofty,  with 
an  ogival  vaulted  roof  and  almost  entirely  covered 
with  frescoes.  The  western  door  has  representations 
of  the  eight  Sybils.  The  mediaeval  incense-burner 
suspended  in  the  centre  is  of  foreign,  probably  Dutch, 
origin,  and  apart  from  its  own  attractiveness  serves 
well  to  contrast  the  great  differences  in  Western  and 
Russian  handicraft,  for  the  ikonostas  has  some  excellent 
relief  work.  The  paintings  at  the  east-end  are  on  a 
gold  ground,  at  one  period  a  prevalent  fashion  with 
Russian  ikon  painters.  The  brilliant  colouring,  the 
lavish  use  of  gold  and  silver,  and  the  bright  illumination, 
so  unusual  in  Russian  churches,  together  make  this 
royal  chapel  one  of  the  most  interesting  of  those  in  the 
Kremlin.  It  was  from  the  corridor  leading  to  this 
church  that  the  first  "  Dmitri "  is  said  to  have  been 
thrown  ;  the  window,  which  had  been  blocked  up,  will  be 
pointed  out  to  the  visitor  before  entering  the  Chapel  of 
the  Crucifixion,  which  is  over  this  corridor  and  on  the 
same  level  as  the  fourth  storey  of  the  Terem.  The 
interior  of  this  chapel  is  very  gloomy ;  the  floor  of 
black  and  white  marble  may  assist  in  its  recognition. 
Its  most  interesting  feature  is  the  ikonostas  of  em- 
broidery, the  work  of  the  Tsaritsas  and  their  daughters. 
The  faces  of  the  saints  on  the  ikons  are  painted  upon 
canvas,  and  the  vestments  instead  of  metal  are  of  worked 
silk  and  other  tissues.  At  the  entrance  is  the  private 
oratory  of  the  Tsar  Alexis,  and  amongst  other  things 
which  will  be  pointed  out  as  having  some  connection 
with  the  younger  members  of  this  Tsar's  family,  is  the 
spot  upon  which  he  at  one  time  erected  a  "  Golgotha  "  ; 
the  cross  is  of  cedar,  pine  and  cypress,  contributed  by 
three  princes.  This  church  was  built  in  1679  and 
communicates  with  the  "Church  of  the  Holy  Vest- 

I  129 


\ 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

ments,"  by  the  door  to  the  left  of  the  entrance,  a  piece  of 
work  highly  characteristic  of  Russian  art  at  this  period. 
There  are  other  churches  and  chapels  which  are 
technically  private  chapels  of  the  palace,  as  are  also  the 
Cathedrals  of  the  Assumption  and  Annunciation,  but 
these  are  dealt  with  elsewhere.  Those  actually  within, 
or  communicating  with  the  Terem,  are  those  above 
enumerated,  and  in  addition  there  is  the  old  Chapel  of 
St  John  the  Baptist  "  in  the  wood,"  now  removed  to 
the  second  floor  of  the  tower  over  the  Borovitski  Gate. 

The  palaces  and  chapels  of  the  Terem  with  their  many  means 
of  communication  afforded  a  secure  hiding  place,  and  means 
of  escape  would  usually  be  found  by  reaching  one  of  the 
churches  with  their  treasuries  and  subterranean  vaults.  In 
the  early  times  it  was  a  capital  ofl'ence  to  be  found  behind  the 
Golden  Gate,  but  two  Chamberlains  who  accidentally  en- 
countered the  Tsaritsa  Natalia  in  one  of  the  corridors  were 
merely  dismissed  from  office  for  a  single  day  and  reinstated  ; 
life  was  more  free  and  easy  in  the  days  of  Theodore  than  ever 
before  in  Moscow.  The  faction  intrigues  and  riots  that 
followed  the  succession  to  the  throne  of  his  brother  Ivan  and 
half-brother  Peter  were  chiefly  the  result  of  the  unjust 
treatment  of  the  Streltsi.  What  took  place  at  the  palace  is 
soon  stated.  Matviev  had  been  recalled;  the  Naryshkins 
and  Miloslavskis,  the  relatives  of  the  first  and  second  wives 
of  the  late  Tsar  Alexis,  were  opposed  to  each  other ;  the  son 
of  each  wife  sat  on  the  throne ;  Peter,  the  younger,  had  his 
mother  to  protect  him;  Ivan,  the  elder,  his  sister  Sophia. 
It  was  too  good  an  opportunity  for  deciding  the  supremacy 
of  the  Miloslavskis,  and  they  having  caused  it  to  be  reported 
that  Ivan's  life  was  in  jeopardy,  the  Streltsi  advanced  to  the 
Kremlin  crying  "  Death  to  those  who  oppose  royalty  I  Death 
to  all  traitors !  "  Before  the  gates  could  be  closed  they  were 
in  the  Kremlin,  and  with  pikes,  halberds,  and  partisans 
thronging  the  state  entrance  and  the  square  of  the  palace 
itself.  They  wished  to  be  sure  that  both  Tsars  were  well : 
they  wanted  the  lives  of  the  Matvievs  and  Naryshkins  if 
Ivan  was  not.  Matviev  momentarily  saved  the  situation. 
He  went  with  Natalia,  who  led  the  Tsars  one  by  each  hand 
out  on  to  the  terrace  before  the  infuriated  mob.  "  By  God's 
mercy  both  are  well  as  you  see,"  he  said,  and  added  words 

130 


Moscow  of  the  Tsars 


that  soothed  the  mob,  but  all  too  soon  he  retired  follow- 
ing Natalia  into  the  palace.  Dolgorooki,  the  head  of  the 
Streltsi,  then  turned  to  the  rioters  and  ordered  them  to 
be  gone.  He  irritated  them  by  his  address ;  some  seized 
him  and  threw  him  over  the  balustrade,  and  those  below 
caught  him  on  their  pikes.  Another  troop,  partisans  of 
Sophia,  were  searching  for  Matviev,  dragged  him  from  the 
presence  of  the  ex-Tsaritsa  and  near  Blagovieshchenski  Sobor 
he  too  was  thrown  on  to  the  pikes  of  the  Streltsi  in  the  square 
below,  and  they  were  not  content  merely  with  killing  now, 
but  cut  his  body  in  morsels.  Three  days  later,  a  faithful 
black  servant  ventured  forth  and  collected  the  remains  for 
burial.  The  rioters  having  now  committed  two  crimes 
reverted  to  their  original  determination  to  settle  with  those 
opposed  to  Ivan.  They  wished  particularly  for  the  uncles  of 
Peter,  Ivan  and  Athanasius  Naryshkin — they  mistook  Soltikov 
for  him,  and  the  man,  too  frightened  even  to  pronounce  his 
own  name,  was  slain.  A  dwarf  of  the  Tsaritsa's  led  the  rioters 
to  the  hiding  place  of  Athanasius — the  altar  of  one  of  the 
churches,  and  they  killed  him  where  they  found  him,  and 
threw  the  body  out  into  the  square.  The  mutiny  lasted 
several  days :  the  Streltsi  could  not  find  Ivan  Naryshkin  or 
Van  Gaden  the  doctor.  The  third  day  they  again  went  to 
the  palace  and  demanded  that  Ivan  should  be  given  up  to 
them.  Natalia  pleaded  for  the  life  of  her  brother,  the  boyards 
fearing  for  their  own  lives  besought  her  to  give  him  up, 
and  at  last  she  consented.  He  made  his  last  confession,  and, 
attended  by  Natalia  and  Sophia,  carried  the  ikon  of  the  virgin 
before  him.  Hurried  by  the  impatient  boyards  he  courageously 
left  the  chapel,  and  crossing  the  threshold  of  the  Golden 
Gates  was  at  once  seized  by  the  Streltsi  waiting  him  and 
dragged  to  torture  and  execution,  and  this  satisfied  the  rioters 
for  the  time. 

Richly  carved  doors,  of  a  type  truly  Muscovite  and 
medigeval,  lead  from  the  Holy  Corridor  to  the  larger 
Golden  Hall  of  the  Granovitaia  Palace.  This  building 
is  the  work  of  two  Italians,  Marco  RufFo,  and  Pietro 
Antonio,  at  the  close  of  the  fifteenth  century,  and  has 
its  name  of  "Facetted"  Palace  from  the  trimming  of  the 
stone  blocks  of  the  external  walls  to  imitate  some  earlier 
ornate  wooden  building.  The  large  Hall  is  the  old 
throne  room  of  the  Tsars  Vasili,  Ivan  "  Groznoi  "  and 

131 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

Boris  Godunov.  The  old  custom  of  a  state  banquet 
on  the  day  of  the  coronation  is  still  observed.  On  this 
occasion,  as  in  olden  times,  the  Tsar  is  seated  at  a 
table  with  such  other  reigning  sovereigns  as  may  be 
present  ;  his  near  relations  are  by  etiquette  still  excluded 
from  the  room,  and  view  the  ceremony  from  the  small 
window  near  the  ceiling,  immediately  opposite  the 
"  Krasnoe  Ugol "  or  throne.  Around  the  central 
pillar  which  supports  the  vaulted  roof,  the  "  mountain  " 
is  placed  on  which  the  Imperial  plate  is  displayed  on 
state  occasions,  just  as  it  was  in  the  days  of  Herber- 
stein,  Jenkinson,  and  the  early  ambassadors  to  the 
Muscovite  Court.  Here,  too,  Ivan  "  Groznoi  *'  re- 
ceived the  Khan's  emissaries  and  the  rusty  knife  his 
victorious  enemy  had  sent  him  that  he  might  cut  his 
own  throat ;  here  for  three  days  he  regaled  his  com- 
panions after  the  fall  of  Kazan  :  here  Boris  Godunov 
entertained  the  Danish  Prince,  suitor  for  the  hand  of 
the  Tsarevna  Xenia ;  here,  in  1653,  Alexis  received 
the  submission  of  Bogdan  Khmelnitski  and  the  cession 
of  Little  Russia.  Peter  I.  also  celebrated  herein  his 
victory  over  Charles  XII.  at  Poltava,  and  in  1767, 
Catherine  II.  connded  to  the  delegates  the  celebrated 
"  Nakaz  "  for  the  compilation  of  the  new  code  of  law. 
Its  present  condition  closely  resembles  its  primitive 
aspect,  traces  of  Peter  the  Great's  vandalism  having 
been  removed ;  the  walls  uncovered ;  the  paintings 
restored ;  the  windows  refitted ;  and  older  furnishings 
substituted  for  the  tapestry  and  decorations  of  Peter 
and  his  successors.  The  paintings,  as  the  inscription 
states,  were  made  in  1882  by  two  "brothers  Bieloosov, 
ikon  painters,  peasants  of  the  villiage  of  Palekha." 
Chancellor  and  his  companions  when  ushered  into  the 
Golden  Palace  encountered  Ivan  the  Terrible.  "The 
Russian  Tsar,  sitting  on  a  lofty  couch,  arrayed  in  robes 
of  silver,  and  now  wearing  a  different  diadem.  In  the 
132 


i 


Moscoiv  of  the  Tsars 

middle  of  the  room  stood  a  huge  abacus  with  a  square 
pedestal,  surmounted  with  a  succession  of  orbicular  tiers, 
which  regularly  tapered  towards  the  culminating  point, 
and  was  adorned  with  such  profusion  of  plate  and  costly 
rarities  that  it  was  almost  overburdened  with  the  great 
weight  of  them,  and  the  greater  part  were  of  the 
choicest  gold.  Four  vases,  conspicuous  by  their  size, 
served  specially  to  enhance  the  splendour  of  the  other 
golden  vessels,  for  they  were  nearly  five  feet  in  height. 
Four  tables,  placed  separately  on  each  side  of  the  hall 
and  raised  to  the  height  of  three  steps  above  the  floor, 
were  bespread  with  the  very  finest  napery  and  attended 
by  a  numerous  company."  One  thing  which  surprised 
Chancellor  was  the  great  reverence  shown  the  Tsar 
when  he  spoke,  by  the  whole  company  "  rising  simul- 
taneously and  bending  low  their  bodies  with  a  sort  of 
gesture  of  adoration,  silently  resume  their  seats." 

The  Terem  is  a  building  of  five  storeys,  each  higher 
one  smaller  than  any  below  and  the  topmost  but  a 
single  room,  with  a  porch  leading  to  the  flat  roof  from 
which,  before  blocked  by  the  Great  Palace,  a  splendid 
view  was  obtainable.  The  ground  floor  was  built  early 
in  the  sixteenth  century,  but  serves  now  for  store-rooms 
only,  and  the  one  above,  reached  by  a  door  under  the 
staircase,  consists  of  a  private  suite  formerly  the  work- 
rooms of  the  palace  and  now  utilised  for  the  preserva- 
tion of  old  charters.  The  staircase  with  carved  stone 
steps  is  separated  from  the  palace  by  the  "  gilt-wicket " 
which  formerly  divided  the  private  from  the  state  and 
court  rooms  of  the  palace.  It  is  of  a  quite  ordinary 
design  when  compared  with  the  much  more  elaborate 
wrought  metal-work  found  elsewhere  in  the  palaces 
and  churches  of  the  Kremlin.  The  first  room  reached 
was  originally  the  "vestibule,"  but  serves  now  as  a 
breakfast-room  ;  the  cases  contain  the  old  seals  of  the 
Kingdom  ;  the  walls   and   vaulted   roof  covered  with 


The  Story  of  Moscoiv 

pictures  and  the  stove  of  fine  old  glazed  Russian  tiles, 
a  variety  of  faience  the  secret  of  whose  manufacture 
has  been  lost.  Near  to  this  room  is  the  Council 
Chamber,  and,  further,  what  originally  served  as  the 
private  room  of  the  Tsars,  but  was  latterly  used  as  a 
throne  room.  In  the  bronze  casket  is  the  deed  of 
election  which  appointed  Mikhail  Theodorovich  to  the 
throne.  In  the  "  Krasnoe  Ugol,"  or  "  Grand  Corner," 
is  the  seat  of  the  Tsar  Alexis  with  a  carpet  before  it, 
the  handiwork  of  his  daughters.  The  window  ad- 
joining is  that  from  which  Dmitri,  and  other  rulers, 
lowered  the  basket  for  the  petitions  of  all  and  sundry 
who  wished  directly  to  communicate  with  the  Tsar. 
Adjoining  this  room  is  a  bedroom,  once  occupied  by 
the  unfortunate  Tsarevich  Alexis  Petrovich.  The 
oratory  has  two  ikons  which  formerly  belonged  to  the 
Tsar  Alexis,  as  did  also  the  cross.  The  belvedere 
reached  by  either  of  two  separate  staircases,  was  built 
by  the  Tsar  Michael  for  the  accommodation  of  his 
children,  and  in  later  reigns  may  have  been  used  as  a 
council  chamber  for  the  "  duma "  of  the  boyards. 
The  Tsars  Alexis  and  Theodore  II.  were  brought  up 
in  the  Terem ;  Peter  the  Great  occupied  it  only  occa- 
sionally, chiefly  before  his  travels  abroad,  and  his  son 
Alexis  was  its  last  regal  inmate. 

"  The  early  Romanofs  practically  shared  their  rule  with  the 
Patriarch,  and  church  services  and  pageants  entered  largely 
into  their  every  day  life.  The  Tsar  would  be  awakened  at 
about  4  A.M.  and  at  once  enter  his  oratory  for  private  devo- 
tion ;  a  quarter  of  an  hour  later  he  prayed  before  the  ikon  of 
the  saint  whose  day  it  might  be,  and  then  sent  one  of  his 
attendants  to  inquire  as  to  the  health  of  the  Tsaritsa  and,  later, 
might  himself  attend  her  in  the  vestibule  and  accompany  her 
to  matins  in  one  of  the  chapels  of  the  palace.  Boyards  and 
others  awaited  his  return  for  instructions  in  matters  of  state, 
and  at  nine  o'clock  the  Tsar  attended  high  mass  either  in  one 
of  the  churches  or  cathedrals  of  the  Kremlin,  or  \y^ox\fete  days 
wherever    the    ceremony   was    necessarily   performed.       Mass 


\ 


'35 


s 

o 

% 

u 
z 

o 

e£ 
S 
H 

u 

a 


M 


\] 


Moscow  oj^  the  Tsars 


lasted  about  two  hours,  and  afterwards  the  sovereign  gave 
private  audience  to  ministers  until  midday,  when  he  took 
his  first  repast,  ordinarily  frugal  to  scantiness  and  eaten  alone. 
During  Lent  the  Tsar  Alexis  made  but  three  meals  each  week, 
and  ate  fish  but  twice,  on  fast  days  taking  only  a  morsel  of 
black  bread  and  a  pickled  mushroom  ;  he  drank  either  kvas 
or  small  beer :  his  devotions  occupied  five  hours  of  each  day, 
and  often  he  prostrated  himself  more  than  a  thousand  times 
daily. 

"  Fast  day  or  not  the  Tsar's  table  was  always  well  supplied, 
but  of  the  seventy  or  more  dishes  usually  served  the  greater 
part  were  presented  to  his  courtiers  and  officers.  After  the 
midday  repast,  the  sovereign  invariably  retired  for  a  short 
sleep,  arising  for  vespers  at  about  three  o'clock,  when  he  was 
always  attended  by  the  court.  Occasionally  state  business  was 
transacted  after  evening  service,  but  generally  the  remainder 
of  the  day  was  spent  in  recreations  ;  theatricals,  music  and  chess 
were  chief  among  these.  Court  pilgrims  were  the  Muscovite 
equivalent  of  the  wandering  minstrels  of  the  British  courts. 
The  Tsar  Alexis  particularly  was  interested  in  the  recitals  of 
*  experienced  *  men  who  had  travelled  in  distant  parts  of  his 
kingdom  and  liked  to  hear  often  the  recollections  of  the  grey- 
beards who  had  known  the  Moscow  of  the  •  troublous  times.' 
If  their  stories  failed,  resource  was  had  to  a  reading  of  the 
chronicles,  ecclesiastical  and  profane.  The  pensioners  were 
housed  in  the  Kremlin  near  the  royal  palace,  and  were  under 
the  immediate  protection  of  the  Tsar,  who  himself  not  fre- 
quently  followed  some  centenarian  to  the  specially  appointed 
burial  place  in  the  Rogo-yavlenni  Monastyr. 

"  The  Tsaritsas  for  the  most  part  occupied  themselves  with 
their  own  devotions  and  the  direction  of  the  work  rooms  of 
the  palace ;  very  occasionally  with  their  children  they  accom- 
panied the  Tsar  to  the  Krasnoe  Kriltso  to  be  *  beholden  of  the 
people.'  Sometimes  they  witnessed  state  ceremonies  from  a 
secluded  corner  of  the  throne  room,  and  in  the  evening 
witnessed  the  amusements  in  the  Potieshni  Dvorets  ;  were 
diverted  by  the  tricks  of  mountebanks  and  jugglers ;  listened 
to  songs,  or  watched  the  special  dancers  engaged  for  their 
amusement.  Their  journeys  abroad  were  restricted  to  visit- 
ing the  convents  and  churches,  pilgrimages  to  the  Troitsa 
Monastery,  or  the  season's  change  to  a  suburban  palace. 
Although  they  attended  High  Mass  in  the  cathedrals,  they 
were  seldom  seen  by  the  public,  being  always  surrounded  by  a 
guard  of  chamber-women  who  carried  ecrans  and,  arranging 
themselves  before  the  Tsaritsa,  screened  her  from  the  eyes  of 

'37 


The  Story  of  Moscow 


the  curious.  Doubtless  the  strict  etiquette  was  departed  from 
in  the  semi-state  of  the  summer  palaces  at  Koiomenskoe 
and  Preubrajenskoe,  and  certainly  the  Tsaritsa  Natalia  failed 
in  various  ways  to  observe  the  strict  seclusion  of  the  Terem. 
A  state  procession  in  the  days  of  Alexis  was  a  wonderful 
pageant  :  on  his  visit  to  the  Novo  Devichi  Convent  he  was 
preceded  by  600  horsemen,  three  abreast,  all  dressed  in  cloth 
of  gold.  Grooms  led  the  twenty-five  white  stallions  harnessed 
to  a  coach  draped  with  scarlet  and  gold :  a  guard  of  honour 
surrounded  it ;  the  Tsar  followed  in  a  smaller  coach  drawn  by 
six  white  horses  ;  boyards  in  state  robes  were  his  escort. 
Petitioners  thronged  the  procession  and  their  written  requests 
were  deposited  in  a  special  box  carried  behind  the  Tsar.  The 
Tsarevich,  with  a  long  cortege,  followed.  The  Tsaritsa  was 
preceded  by  forty  grooms  with  magnificent  steeds,  and  her 
own  coach  drawn  by  ten  white  horses,  and  behind  her  the 
Tsarevna  in  a  similar  carriage  drawn  by  eight  horses.  The 
waiting-women,  to  the  number  of  twenty  or  more,  rode  astride 
white  horses ;  they  wore  scarlet  robes,  white  hats  with  yellow 
ribbons  and  long  feathers  ;  white  veils  hid  part  of  their  faces  ; 
top  boots  of  bright  yellow  completed  their  costume.  The 
guard  consisted  of  300  of  the  Streltsi  with  their  showiest 
weapons,  and  behind  them  came  pensioners,  boyards  and 
officers  of  the  court." — Zabielin. 

The  young  Prince  Peter  had  a  small  state  coach  to 
himself;  it  was  drawn  by  small  white  ponies,  and  he 
had  as  a  special  retinue  a  number  of  dwarfs.  In  the 
golden  age  of  the  three  Romanofs  Moscow  thrived  as 
never  before  and  became  beautiful  beyond  other  cities. 
Alexis  busied  himself  in  erecting  new  and  better  build- 
ings where  fire  destroyed  the  old,  and  his  example 
was  followed  by  the  boyards,  who  commenced  of  their 
own  accord  to  build  churches  or  to  enrich  those  exist- 
ing, and  were  even  so  western  and  modern  as  to 
present  bells.  It  was  under  Theodore  that  Moscow 
attained  its  zenith  and  became  known  as  the  city  of 
churches — "  Forty-forties  "  their  number,  the  Russian 
equivalent  of  "  seventy  times  seven,**  derived  from 
**  sorokov,"  an  ecclesiastical  division,  and  also  a 
**  great    gross  *'  ;     the    number    actually    in    existence 

■38 


\ 


Moscow  of  the  Tsars 

within  the  town  limit  is  said  to  have  been  1071. 
There  were  twenty-seven  "  Halls  "  within  the  Kremlin 
palaces ;  some  twelve  new  courts  of  justice  in  the 
town  ;  and  eight  royal  residences  in  the  suburbs.  The 
boyard  Dmitri  Kaloshinim  built  a  great  church  on  the 
Devichi  Pol-ye,  and  in  addition  to  the  academy  in  the 
Za-ikono-spasski  Monastyr  other  schools  were  founded. 
The  handicrafts  of  the  west  were  generally  practised, 
and  many  new  trades  learned  and  mastered,  some  4300 
foreigners  being  employed  in  Moscow  in  the  manu- 
facturing industries  and  the  instruction  of  the  citizens. 
It  was  at  this  period  that  most  of  the  beautiful  glass, 
faience  and  metal  work  that  enriches  the  sacristies 
was  produced,  and  then  that  the  finest  ecclesiastical 
buildings  were  erected.  Some  of  the  choicest  anti- 
quities of  the  Treasury  (Orujen-ia  Palata)  date  from 
this  period.  The  boyards  during  the  siege  of  the 
Poles  and  themselves  in  the  Kremlin  turned  much  of 
the  old  plate  stored  there  into  money  ;  the  specimens 
of  earlier  date  had  been  hidden  away,  or  were  in  the 
treasures  of  churches  outside  the  Kremlin.  Among 
the  most  interesting  antiquities  here  are:  — 

In  the  entrance  Hall.— The  old  bell  of  the  Guardians  of 
Novgorod,  recast  in  1683  ;  the  alarm  bell  of  the  city  of 
Moscow,  recast  in  1714  from  the  old  bell  of  the  town;  two 
plates  recording  the  execution  of  the  Streltsi.  The  stair- 
case has  old  German  suits  of  mail,  some  trophies  and  two 
pictures,  one  representing  the  battle  of  Dmitri  Donskoi  against 
the  Tartars  at  Kulikovo,  and  the  other  the  baptism  of 
Vladimir  the  Great. 

Room  I  :  yirwwry.— Russian  armour  of  the  seventeenth 
century,  notably  a  mounted  model  of  the  Voievode  of  the 
period  ;  on  the  left  of  the  entrance  a  Russian  soldier  of  the 
same,  also  the  helmet  of  the  hero  Mstislavski,  and  the  helmet 
of  the  Tsar  Mikhail  Theodorovich. 

Roomz:  Weapont. —Ch\e^y  fire-arms  used  in  Russia  from 
the  fifteenth  to  the  eighteenth  century  arranged  chronologi- 
cally, of  which  those  in  cases  XVIII  and  XIX  are  the  most  in- 

•39 


The  Story  of  Moscow 


teresting;  in  the  cases  XVI  and  XVIII  wiU  be  found  the 
weapons  of  foreign  manufacture,  among  them  the  sportine  eun 
presented  to  the  Tsar  Mikhail  in  1619  by  Fabian  Smith; 
against  the  wall  are  the  guns  the  monks  of  St  Sergius  used  to 
deend  the  monastery  at  Troitsa  against  the  Poles  in  1600: 
below  these  the  saddle  of  Prince  Pojarski.  Among  the 
standards  around  the  pillars  are  the  sacred  colours  carried  by 
Dmitri  at  Kuhkovo,  of  Ivan  the  Terrible  against  Kazan  (No 
59),  of  Alexis  Mikhailovich  against  the  Poles  (No  24),  of  the 
Streltsi,  of  Peter  the  Great's  first  regiment  of  marines  (No  i), 

?"k    '        4?u"    t"?   ""''^°'""    ^'^'^    ^hich    Yermak   conquered 
Siberia       1  he  helmets  of  Kosma  Minin,   Prince  Pojarski,  of 
Nikita  Romanof,  Yaroslaf  II.,  and  Alexander  Nevski. 
Hoom  3  :   Trophies. — Modern. 
J^oom  4:  Regalia — The  twelfth  century  crown  of  Vladimir 
Monomachus  ;   the  sixteenth  century  crown  of  the  Tsars  of 

Kazan;  that  of  Ivan  Alexievich(i68o)  and  of  MikhailTheodoro- 
vich,  the  Imperial  crown,  that  of  Georgia,  globes,  sceptres-note 
particularly  the  beautiful  workmanship  from   the  conquered 
kingdom  of  Georgia— and  the  orb  reputed  to  have  been  pre- 
sented by  Basil  and  Constantine  in  988,  together  with  the 
golden  chain  collar  and  piece  of  the  "true  cross."     Among 
these  insignia,  most  curious  are  the  Barmi,  metal  collars  worn 
at  the  coronation,  of  which  one  of  the  earliest  has  the  eaele 
Jion,  gnffin,  and  unicorn- Byzantine  symbols— and  excellent 
coloured  enamel,  but  said  to  have  been  remade  by  a  Moscow 
goldsmith  in  the  sixteenth  century.    The  thrones  include  that  of 
ivory  brought  to  Russia  in  1472  by  Sophia  Paleologus  ;  Persian 
throne  sent  to  Boris  Godunov,  in  1605,  it  is  studded  with  more 
than  2000  gems ;   the  double  throne  of  the  Tsars  Ivan  and 
Peter  was  made  at  Hamburg  and  is  so  constructed  that  the 
curtain  at  the  back  might  screen  the  Tsarevna  Sophia  who 
used  to  station  herself  there  either  to  watch  or  prompt  her 
young  brothers.     In  a  casket  is  the  code  of  the  Tsar  Alexis 
on  sheets  of  parchment. 

Room  s^Ptatf. —To  the  left  on  entering  are  the  enamel 
ware,  metal,  wood,  ivory,  and  glass,  household  plate  of  Russian 
nrianufacture  in  the  seventeenth  century  of  which  the  best  are 

hv  ^h  '?  °"''k  xT"r'^  ^nd  niello.  The  loving  cup  presented 
by  the  patriarch  Nikon  to  the  Tsar  Alexis;  a  ring  of  the  un- 
fortunate  Eudoxia  (wife  of  Peter  I.)  and  a  number  of  more  or 
less  uninteresting  objects  of  that  monarch's  period  ;  and  a  fine 
numismatic  collection  that  will  attract  the  enthusiast 

Ground  Ftoor:    Carriages  and  Harness.— The  ^t^tt  ch?ir\ot  ^tnt 
to  Boris  Godunov  by  Queen  Elizabeth,  carriages  with  mica 
T40 


i 


Moscow  of  the  Tsars 

windows,  closed  carriages  of  the  Tsaritsas,  the  miniature  con- 
veyance of  the  young  prince  Peter,  some  relics  of  Napoleon ; 
portraits  of  the  sovereigns  of  Russia,  and  the  model  of  the 
palace  with  which  Catherine  II.  intended  to  cover  the  Kremlin ; 
of  the  old  palace  at  Kolomenskoe.  There  also  is  the  only 
portrait  of  Maria  Mniszek,  and  a  picture  representing  her 
marriage  with  the  false  Dmitri. 

Golden  Moscow  extended  far  beyond  the  Kremlin  ; 
one  of  its  most  characteristic  corners  is  the  Vosskresenski 
Vorot,  where  stands  the  little  chapel  sacred  to  the 
Iberian  Mother  of  God,  the  exact  copy  of  a   most 
venerable  ikon,  brought  in  1648  from  Mount  Athos, 
for  which  this  chapel  was  erected  by  the  Tsar  Alexis. 
The  picture  shows  a  scratch  on  the  right  cheek,  the 
work  of  an  infidel,  who  was  converted  by  seeing  the 
blood   that   instantly  exuded  from   the  wound.     The 
adornments  are  a  brilliant  crown,  with  a  veil  of  pearls, 
a  large  gem  on  the  brow,  another  on  the  shoulder  ; 
gold  brocade  with  enamelled  plaques  representing  angels* 
heads,  and  the  usual  lavish  decoration  of  the  vestments, 
complete  this  unusual  ikon,  which  is  probably  the  most 
venerated  of  any  in  Moscow.     The  chapel  is  exceed- 
ingly  rich    and    always    surrounded   by    worshippers ; 
thirteen  silver  chandeliers  with  tapers  are  always  burn- 
ing before  the  ikonostas,  and  to  this  day  the  Tsar  on 
visiting  Moscow  dismounts  at  this  chapel  before  enter- 
ing the  Kremlin.     The  architecture  of  the  wall  and 
gate  is  a  modification  of  the  Russian  style  of  the  16th 
century  as  influenced  by  the  purely  utilitarian  or  military 
style  of  Podolia  and  north-east  Germany,  but  the  spires 
that  crown  the  old  square  towers  are  of  a  later  date  and 
are  probably  due  to  the  love  of  the  Tsar  Alexis  for  the 
Gothic  which  he  tried  in  vain  to  blend  with  the  heavy 
low  wooden  models  of  early  Russia.     The  buildings 
of  this  period  are  mostly  characterised  by  the  quaint 
mixture  of  Lombard   and   Gothic,  but  there  is  one 
fragment,   the    ruins    of  the    archiepiscopal    palace  at 

141 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

the  Krutitski,  which  exhibits  the  more  ornate  style 
then  considerably  followed  for  "  Halls,"  in  which  the 
influence  of  Byzantium  predominates.  The  Krutitski 
monastery  was  first  established  within  the  Kremlin,  but 
many  centuries  ago  was  transferred  to  the  suburbs  near 
the  Krasnce  Kholmski  Bridge,  where  the  remains  of 
the  seventeenth  century  "  dwelling  "  of  the  metropolitan 
may  now  be  seen  serving  as  the  gateway  to  the  entrance 
of  a  barracks.  It  is  fronted  with  glazed  tiles  of  many 
colours,  yellow  and  green  are  the  most  conspicuous, 
and  of  many  shapes.  The  window  casements  are 
purely  Byzantine,  but  the  vaulted  archways  and  the 
roof  are  as  markedly  Russian.  Only  its  outer  side  has 
been  left  in  its  original  state,  with  the  quaint  designs, 
particularly  that  of  the  **  Busy  Bee,"  glaring  from  the 
gaudy  tiles ;  the  other  side,  that  within  the  courtyard, 
is  now  covered  with  the  usual  distemper  {v.  p.  122). 

Doubtless  much  of  the  fine  work  on  other  buildings 
that  have  survived  the  fires  of  the  past  two  centuries 
is  similarly  hidden  beneath  plaster  and  many  coatings 
of  thick  body  colour,  but  it  is  unlikely  that  it  will  be 
discovered  until  the  old  buildings  themselves  are  in 
course  of  demolition,  so  this  one  perfect  example, 
which  is  but  little  known  and  seldom  visited,  may  be 
regarded  as  the  sole  existing  memorial  of  that  school 
of  Greeks  and  Byzantines  which  so  powerfully  in- 
fluenced Muscovite  construction  during  the  reigns  of 
Alexis  and  Theodore  II. 

The  literary  culture  was  derived  from  Poland,  and 
is  not  remarkable  for  strength  or  beauty  :  Slavinietski 
confined  himself  to  dogma;  the  many-sided  Polotsi, 
artist,  administrator,  pedagogue  and  poet,  wrote  several 
volumes,  and  helped  in  the  adaptation  of  old-world 
stories  for  dramatic  representation.  In  addition  to 
several  plays  such  as  "  The  Prodigal  Son,"  "  Shadrach, 
Meshach    and    Abednego "    and   <*  Esther,"    which 

142 


\ 


VOSSKRESENSKl    VOROT   AND    IBERIAN    CHAPEL 


n 


'43 


\\ 


Moscow  of  the  Tsars 

were  performed  within  the  walls  of  the  Uspenski 
Cathedral,  profane  history  afforded  such  themes  as 
the  "  Siege  of  Troy  "  and  "  Alexander  the  Great " 
for  the  amusement  of  the  court  in  the  private  hall. 
Native  themes  were  not  so  general :  "  The  Judgment 
of  Chemiaki "  was  one ;  such  plays  as  the  "  Good 
Genius,"  "The  Mirror  of  Justice,"  appear  to  have 
been  derived  from  the  Arabs,  and  it  is  said  that  many 
themes  from  the  Hindu  "  Panchatantra "  were  also 
utilised.  Prince  Galitzin  spoke  Latin  as  fluently  as 
a  German  Professor ;  the  tsarevna  Sophia  was  his 
equal  in  that  tongue  ;  and  the  princess,  so  far  from 
being  satisfied  with  the  routine  of  the  terem,  amused 
herself  in  writing  a  tragedy  and  a  comedy  in  verse,  both 
of  which  were  performed  in  Moscow.  There  seems 
to  be  no  doubt  that  great  liberty  was  accorded  her ; 
but  she,  unfortunate  in  the  choice  of  her  advisers, 
became  ambitious,  and  herself  was  the  principal  figure 
in  one  of  the  greatest  of  the  real  dramas  Moscow  has 
furnished.  The  "  Tranquil "  Tsar,  as  Alexis  became 
to  be  called,  amassed  great  wealth  and  amused  himself 
in  building  a  fleet  for  the  Caspian  Sea,  which  the 
water-brigand,  Stenki  Razin,  the  pirate  of  the  Volga, 
promptly  destroyed ;  and  then  Alexis,  like  Peter, 
played  with  toy  boats  on  the  ornamental  lake  he  had 
made  in  the  Kremlin.  To  him,  much  more  truly 
than  to  Peter,  do  Karamzin's  lines  apply  : — 

"  Russia  had  a  noble  Tsar, 
Sovereign  honoured  wide  and  far : 
He  a  father's  love  enjoyed, 
He  a  father's  power  employed, 
And  sought  his  children's  bliss 
And  their  happiness  was  his." 

He  constructed  much  of  the  old  Moscow  still 
visible ;  not  a  church  or  a  monastery  of  earlier  date 
but  he  rebuilt,  extended,  or  improved.     Outside  the 

K  145 


f* 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

Kremlin,  throughout  the  different  zones  of  the 
town,  beyond  the  last  ramparts  far  away  into  the 
forests  that  skirted  the  suburbs,  the  marks  of  his  work, 
churches,  palaces  and  halls,  testify  to  the  immensity  and 
riches  of  this  Moscow  of  the  Tsars  ;  wherever  one 
may  go  in  or  about  the  Moscow  of  tp-day,  that  of  the 
seventeenth  century  cannot  be  wholly  escaped. 


\\ 


146 


CHAPTER  VIII 
The  Kremlin 

«'  The  Kremlin  is  our  Sanctuary  and   our    Fortress ;    the 
source  of  our  strength  and  the  treasury  of  our  Holy  Faith." 

VlAZEMSKI. 

D  USSIANS  very  rightly  regard  the  Kremlin  as  their 
^^     Holy  of  Holies.     All  that  Moscow  is  to  Russia, 
the  Kremlin  is  to  Moscow.     Nowhere  else  are  so  many 
and  diverse   relics  grouped   in   so  small  a   space ;  no 
place  of  its  size  is  so  rich  in  historical  associations. 
It  contains  what  is  best  worth  seeing  in  Russia,  it  is 
what  is  best  worth  knowing.     The  people  know  this ; 
know  that — as  their  poet  Medich  tersely  expresses  its 
value — "  Here  it  is  that  the  great  Rushi^n  eagle  raised 
its  eyrie  and  spread  its  immense  protecting  wings  over 
an   enormous   empire."     To    the    antiquary,   to   the 
student   of  history,   to  the   lover    of  beauty,   to   the 
tourist  in  search  of  distraction,  the   Kremlin  is  equally 
attractive.     To  see  it  to  best  advantage,  all  who  visit 
Moscow  for  the  first  time  should  make  the  tour  outside 
the    walls    before    entering    by    any    one    of    its    five 
practicable  gates ;  or,   if  the  complete   circuit — some 
two  miles — cannot  conveniently  be  made  then,  instead 
of  entering  by  the  nearest  gate  from  the  Kitai  Gorod, 
let  the  hurried  visitor  at  least  drive  across  the  Mosk- 
voretski  Bridge,  along  the  quay  on  the  south  side  of  the 
river,  and,  returning  by  the  Kammeny  Most,  make  an 
entrance  by  either  the  Borovitski  or  the  Troitski  Gate. 

H7 


m<, 


f: 


rt 


.j)» 


The  Story  of  Moscoiv 

The  exact  position  of  the  wall  of  white  stone,  built 

in  the  reign  of  Dmitri  Donskoi  (1367),  is  unknown; 

in  all   probability  it  was   within   the  space  at   present 

enclosed.     The  wall  of  burnt  tiles,  erected  during  the 

*       reign  of  Ivan  III.,  was  the  work  of  Aleviso 

Fioraventi,  an  Italian  architect ;   but  a  few 

years   later,  between    148  5    and    149  2,    the 

present  wall  was  raised  on  the 

'^'"""''^^^     foundations  of  the  old  one,  in 

1    "wm^?!'^  V    P^'"^  ^y  l^talian  workmen,  in  part 

l\  ;^ -'♦^■^ftn    by  native  artisans.      This  wall, 

jTo^yft    ;  t''*,'!hj    repaired  from  tmie  to  time,  has 

r^Kjj,;'    escaped  all  the  fires  and  disasters 

Kr>r*^rFry'  Mji^ijL^    which  wrought  such  havoc  else- 

^yi~lf-i'*™  iii '■«!'*'    where  in  the  Kremlin  ;  but  in  its 
^r!S  S  f  _m  ll  Jii'-r     original  state  consisted  of  three 

distinct  parapets,  set  back  and 
rising  above  each  other  over  the 
ditch,  much  as  the  tiers  of  the 
old  towers  still  remaining.  The 
wall,  the  inmost  of  the  three,  is 
of  an  exaggerated  Italian  style, 
the  battlements  unnecessarily 
deep.  The  towers  and  gates 
are  various :  some  as  the  Spasski 
and  Troitski,  Gothic ;  some  as  the  Borovitski  and  the  Gun 
Towers,  Russian ;  others  bistard  and  nondescript.  The 
Borovitski,  Tainitski,  and  the  similar  smaller  square 
pyramidal  towers,  are  clearly  copies  of  the  older  wooden 
erections  on  the  earlier  walls.  The  design  is  that  of 
carpenters,  not  of  masons.  The  green  tiles  are  the 
original  covering ;  the  secret  of  making  them  has  been 
lost.  For  centuries  the  wall  was  painted  white,  the 
present  brick  colour  is  an  innovation. 

An  early  writer  states  that  "  the  wall  is  two  miles 
about,  and  it  hath  sixteen  gates  and  as  many  bulwarks.'* 

1+8 


r 


KREMLIN Ri*MPART    AND    GUN 

TOWER 


The  Kremlin 

It  is  better  to  be  precise.  The  length  of  the  wall  is  i 
mile  700  yards,  and  it  follows  exactly  the  contour  and 
windings  of  the  hill,  forming  an  irregular  triangle ;  the 
thickness  varies  from  14  to  20  feet,  the  height  from 
30  to  70  feet.  Throughout  the  entire  length  there  is 
a  rampart  9  feet  wide  and  a  low  parapet  on  the  inner 
side.  This  walk  is  paved  with  stone  flags,  and  is 
reached  from  any  of  the  towers  and  by  special  stairways 
within  the  wall. 

The  Borovitski  Gate,  surmounted  by  a  tower  200 
feet  high  (see  page  299),  preserves  the  name  of  the 
forest  (Bor),  with  which  the  hill  was  long  ago  covered, 
its  oflBcial  name  is  the  Prechistenka  Gate  ;  here  all 
that  remains  of  the  old  church  of  the  Nativity  of  St 
John  the  Baptist  is  conserved  in  the  chapel  on  the 
right  of  the  gate  in  entering.  In  the  second  storey  is 
the  Royal  Chapel  of  St  John,  one  of  the  ten  churches 
of  the  palace ;  in  it  a  service  is  held  once  a  year,  to 
which  worshippers  arc  summoned  by  ringing  the  bells 
on  the  third  storey  of  the  tower.  By  this  gate  the 
Tsars  left  the  Kremlin  on  other  than  state  occasions, 
by  it  Napoleon's  troops  entered. 

Turning  towards  the  river,  the  round  tower  at  the 
corner  of  the  wall  was  used  at  one  time  as  a  water 
reservoir  for  the  palace  gardens.  Peter  the  Great  had 
need  of  all  the  lead  he  possessed  when  building  his 
new  capital  on  the  Neva,  and  the  tower  was  then  dis- 
mantled. It  suffered  from  the  mines  exploded  by  the 
French  in  181 2  ;  in  1856  it  was  used  to  store  certain 
valuables  removed  from  St  Petersburg. 

The  first  tower  eastward  from  the  "  Chateau  d'Eau  " 
is  the  old  granary,  "Jitny  Dvor,"  now  used  by  the 
priest  of  the  adjoining  church  of  the  Annunciation. 
According  to  the  legend  on  the  wall  at  this  point  a 
vision  of  the  Annunciation  was  seen  ;  to  commemorate 
which  this  church  was  built. 

'49 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

The  next  tower  is  over  the  Tainitski  or  **  Secret " 
Gate,  a  postern  leading  to  the  river,  now  practicable 
for  pedestrians  only.  On  this  spot  there  has  been  a 
gate  ever  since  the  Kremlin  was  first  enclosed  ;  it  was 
at  one  time  used  for  the  procession  of  January  6,  on  its 
way  to  the  river,  but  **  The  Blessing  of  the  Water  " 
is  now  performed  from  the  New  Cathedral  of  our 
Saviour. 

The  wall  then  runs  eastward  as  far  as  the  round 
tower  near  the  Moskvoretski  Bridge,  then  turns  north 
as  far  as  the  Spasski  Gate.  The  corner  comprised 
within  this  length  of  the  wall  and  a  straight  line  from 
the  Tainitski  to  the  Spasski  Gate  is  full  of  story. 
The  first  two  towers  have  now  no  name  ;  the  next  is 
that  of  the  Metropolitan  Peter  ;  after  the  corner  tower, 
the  first  is  that  of  Constantine  and  Helen,  the  next  the 
Tsarina's  tower,  then  comes  the  small  open  tower  in 
the  wall  itself  and  quite  close  to  the  Spasski  Tower. 
It  was  at  this  corner,  at  first  within  the  Kremlin  it- 
self, later  outside  on  the  Grand  Place  that  the  public 
executions  took  place.  The  wall  here  has  prison  cells 
within  its  vaulted  arches,  dungeons  are  beneath  the 
towers,  the  corner  tower  once  an  oubliette,  is  still 
supposed  to  have  the  remains  of  the  iron  blades  and 
spikes,  upon  which  the  prisoners  fell,  projecting  from 
its  walls ;  in  the  tower  of  Constantine  and  Helen  were 
the  instruments  of  torture  used  to  extort  confessions, 
and  the  church  of  the  same  name  is  that  to  which  the 
accused  were  taken  to  make  their  oath  before  being  led 
to  the  rack  or  cast  into  some  secret  dungeon.  The 
Tsarina's  Tower,  now  a  dwelling  and  storehouse,  has 
no  pleasant  history  ;  the  small  tower  in  which  once 
hung  the  great  bell  brought  from  Novgorod  is  popularly 
believed  to  have  been  constructed  by  Ivan  Groznoi  to 
afford  him  a  better  view  of  the  executions,  but,  if 
authorities  may  be  believed,  on  such  occasions  he  more 

150 


The  Kremlin 

often  figured  as  an  actor  than  an  onlooker.  However 
this  may  be,  it  is  undoubtedly  the  truth  that  of  this 
portion  of  the  Kremlin  much  that  is  interesting  will 
some  day  be  written.  Sneguirev  and  other  writers  are 
content  to  describe  it  in  very  general  terms  ;  Fabricius, 
who  for  eight  years  was  employed  in  the  Kremlin 
and  knows  it  more  thoroughly  than  most  men,  in  his 
monumental  work  on  the  Kremlin,  scamps  this  section, 
although  giving  minute  details  respecting  other  towers 
and  portions  of  the  wall.  It  is  not  accessible  to  the 
public,  and  special  permission  from  the  commandant  of 
the  fortress  is  now  required  before  admission  is  given  to 

the  rampart  walk. 

The  Spasski  (Redeemer)  Gate,  constructed  in  the 
reign  of  Ivan  III.  (1491),  by  Peter  Antonio  Solarius 
of  Milan,  was  at  first  known  as  the  F lor ovski  gate 
from  a  church  dedicated  to  St  Florus  in  its  vicinity. 
It  bears  the  following  inscription  : — 

"Johannes  Vassilii  Dei  gratia  magnus  Dux  Volodomiraz, 
Moscovix,  Novoguardiae,  Iferiae,  Plescovise,  Vetici^,  Ougariae, 
Permit,  Volgarix  et  aliarum  totiusque  Roxix  dominus:  anno 
30  imperii  sui  has  turres  condere  jussit,  et  statuit^  Petrus 
Solarius  Mediolanensis,  anno  nativitatis  Domini  1491." 

When  the  church  of  the  Holy  Trinity  was  built 
this  gate  took  the  name  of  the  "Jerusalem  Gate," 
because  the  Palm  Sunday  procession  passed  beneath 
it.  In  1626  during  the  reign  of  the  Tsar  Mikhail 
Theodorovich,  Christopher  Galloway,  an  EngHsh 
clockmaker,  constructed  the  spire  and  placed  therein 
a  striking  clock,  which,  however,  was  subsequently 
removed.  After  various  changes,  in  1737  the  Tsarina 
Elizabeth  Petrovna  caused  the  one  now  in  use  to  be 
placed  there.  The  building  itself  is  formed  of  thick 
double  walls,  between  which  are  passages  and  stair- 
cases of  wood  and  stone ;  brick  buttresses  connect  the 
walls  and  support  the  upper  storeys.     The  second  is 

i5» 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

the  clock  tower ;    the  third   of  octagonal   form,   has 
eight  arches  on  which  the  spire  is  carried.      Over  the 
entrance    is    the    miraculous    ikon    of  the   Redeemer, 
brought  back  from  Smolensk  by  the  Tsar  Alexis  in 
1647.      It  is  to  this  picture  that  the  orthodox  attribute 
the    raising  of  the  siege  of  Moscow  by  the  Tartars 
under  Makhmet-Ghiree  in    1526;    it  is  still  held   in 
great  veneration,  and  it  is  customary  for  all  to  uncover 
whilst  passing  through  the  gate.     Formerly  an  omission 
to  do  so  was  punished  with  two  score  and  half  com- 
pulsory prostrations.     The  Redeemer  Gate  is  the  state 
entrance  to  the  Kremlin ;  by  it  the  Tsars  entered  and 
left   on    all    important   occasions.      Ivan    III.    passed 
through  after  quelling  the  revolt  at  Nijni  Novgorod  ; 
Ivan  "  Groznoi  "  after  taking  Kazan  ;  Vasili  Shooiski 
after   the  delivery  of  Moscow  from  the  Poles ;  here 
the    people   went   to    meet   the   young   Tsar   Michael 
Romanof  after  his  election.     The  remains  of  Shooiski 
were  brought  through  this  gate,  and  by  it  passed  the 
funeral  processions  of  the  Tsars  Peter  II.,  Alexander 
I.  and  Alexander  II.     Since  the  eighteenth  century 
the  Tsars  have  made  their  state  entry  to  the  Kremlin 
for  the  coronation  by  the  Redeemer  Gate.     Criminals 
executed  near  the  Lobnce  Mesto  addressed  their  last 
prayers    to    the    ikon    above    its    portal ;    near   it  the 
"  hundreds "   of  Streltsi   were   executed   by   order   of 
Peter  the  Great,  and  in  his  reign  the  heterodox  who 
refused  to  shave  their  heads  paid  a  fine  on  passing  it. 
The  French  tried  to  blow  up  the  gate  with  gunpowder, 
but  it  was  saved   by  the  timely   intervention   of  the 
Cossacks. 

The  Nikolski  Gate  on  the  north-east  was  also  built 
by  Peter  Solarius,  but  has  been  several  times  restored, 
having  suffered  by  fire  and  from  other  disasters. 
Tokhtamysh  entered  the  Kremlin  by  this  gate ;  so 
did  the  troops  of  Sigismund  III.,  and  it  was  here  that 


\  , 


I! 


The  Kremlin 

Edigei  most  strongly  assaulted  the  Kremlin,  here  that 
the  Krim-Tartars  ineffectually  tried  to  gain  an  entrance 
in  1 55 1,  and  here  that  the  battle  raged  between  the 
Poles  and  Russians  for  the  possession  of  Moscow. 
Like  the  Spasski  Gate  it  also  has  its  miraculous  ikon. 
It  is  a  mosaic  of  St  Nicholas  of  Mojaisk.  "The 
dread  of  perjurers  and  the  comfort  of  those  in  pain," 
before  it  litigants  made  their  solemn  oaths  preliminary 
to  the  hearing  of  the  cause.  The  inscription  upon  it 
records  how,  when  the  French  attempted  to  blow  it 
up,  the  ikon  escaped  destruction. 

"In  the  year  1812,  during  the  time  of  the  invasion  by  the 
enemy  almost  the  whole  of  this  strong  tower  was  demolished 
by  the  explosion  of  a  mine ;  but,  by  the  wonderful  power  of  God, 
the  holy  image  of  the  greatly  favoured  by  God,  here  designed, 
and,  not  only  the  image,  but  the  pane  of  glass  covering  it,  as 
also  the  lantern  with  the  candle,  remained  uninjured. 

« Who  is  greater  than  God,  our  God  ?  Thou  art  the 
God,  the  marvellous  God,  who  doest  miracles  by  Thy  saints." 

This  gate  is  the  most  generally  used  entrance  to  the 
Kremlin,  and  in  the  tower  above  the  law  archives  of 
the  town  are  now  stored. 

Northward  from  the  Nikolski  gate  there  is  an  abrupt 
descent  to  the  corner  tower — which  is  polygonal,  not 
round  like  the  others — for  here  is  the  old  bed  of  the 
river  Neglinnaia.  Formerly  the  stream  was  dammed 
up  near  its  junction  with  the  Moskva  so  as  to  constitute 
an  impassable  moat,  and  thus  protect  the  western  side 
of  the  Kremlin.  Nevertheless  the  wall  is  continued 
at  the  same  height  for  its  whole  length.  The  arsenal, 
a  commonplace  building,  extends  from  the  corner  tower 
to  the  Troitski  gate,  the  monotony  of  its  dreary  line 
broken  by  two  characteristic  gun-towers  on  the  wall. 
In  the  Alexander  Gardens,  outside  the  Kremlin, 
arches  and  rough  masonry  may  be  seen,  and  possibly 
mistaken  for  a  part  of  the  foundations  of  the  Kremlin 

153 


li 


(  B 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

wall ;    they    are    only    decorations    dating    from    the 
Exhibition  held  there  in   1872. 

The  Troitski    (Trinity)    Gate  was  constructed   to 

give   access  to  the   palaces  in   the   Kremlin  from   the 

suburb   on   the  other   side   of  the   Neglinnaia,  in  the 

seventeenth  century  occupied  almost  entirely  by  Court 

servants    and    artisans.     Towards    the    close    of    the 

eighteenth  century  this  quarter  was  a  slum,  the  chief 

haunt  of  the   robbers    and   desperadoes   of 

Moscow  ;  thence  came  the  men  who  fired 

the    city    during    the    French    occupation. 

The  tower  over  the  gate, 
in  the  Gothic  style,  was 
added  by  Galloway  early 
in  the  seventeenth  cen- 
tury and  has  been  twice 
restored  ;    the  rooms  in 
it  are  now  used  by  the 
staff  in  charge  of  the  old 
archives  stored  in  the  various 
towers  of  the  Kremlin.      The 
bridge  is  protected  by  a  barbi- 
can, the  Kutaifa,  a  large  white 
tower  of  original  design,  the 
BELVEDERE  OF  PLEASURE  PALACE   worlc  of  Italians,  about  I  500, 

battlemented  and  once  fur- 
nished with  gates  and  portcullis.  The  French  entered 
and  left  the  Kremlin  by  this  route.  It  is  the  only  gate 
in  the  Kremlin  without  a  chapel,  the  church  of  the 
Trinity  once  adjoining  having  been  demolished. 

About  midway  along  the  wall  between  the  Troitski 
and  Borovitski  gates  appear  the  bright-coloured  roofs 
and  gables  of  an  old  Russian  house,  the  Potieshni 
Dvorets,  whose  striking  architecture,  together  with 
that  of  the  characteristic  smaller  towers  on  the  walls, 
relieves   the   ugliness   of  the   service  buildings  on  the 

'54 


The  Kremlin 

left  and  the  heavy  fagade  of  the  Treasury  building  on 
the  right.  This  side  of  the  Kremlin  should  be  seen 
from  the  far  side  of  the  gardens,  or  from  the  street 

beyond. 

The  best  view  of  the  Kremlin  is  that  seen  from  the 
south  end  of  the  Moskvoretski  bridge  (see  page  13.) 
The  balconies   of  the  Hotel   Kokoref  command  the 
same  view,  one  which  reveals  at  a  glance  more  that  is 
characteristic  of  Moscow  than  even  the  bird's-eye  view 
from  the  dome  of  Ivan  Veliki.     In  the  foreground  the 
river  and  quays ;   beyond,  the  walls  of  the  Kremlin 
with   towers  in   all   styles;   the  fantastic   pinnacles  of 
Vasili  Blajenni ;  the  blunted  spires  of  the  Vossnesenski 
convent,  behind  which  rise  the  gilded  domes  of  the 
Chudov  church  and  the  great  cupola  of  the  hall  of 
St  Catherine   in  the  Senate.       Beyond    the    striking 
Alexander  memorial  rises  the  belfry  of  Ivan  Veliki, 
and  around  it  cluster  the  gilded  and  gay-coloured  domes 
of  the  cathedrals,  then,  further  to  the  left,  the  long 
fagade   of  the   Palace,  the   pyramidal    tower   of  the 
Borovitski   gate,   and,    apparently    near  by,  the  huge 
golden  dome  of  the  new  Cathedral.      (See  page  299.) 
Entering  the  Kremlin  by  the  Nikolski  gate,  to  the 
right   is   the    arsenal,   to  the   left   the    Senate   (Law 
Courts),  reaching  the  transverse  route  from  the  Troitski 
gate,  the  barracks  are   in  front,  the  buildings  of  the 
service  corps  to  the  right,  the  Chudov  monastery  to 
the  left ;  continuing  straight  on,  a  large  open  space  is 
reached ;  then  on  the  left  is  the  smaller  palace,  on  the 
far  side   of  the   square  is  the   Alexander   memorial ; 
close  by,  on  the  right,  the  Synod,  then,  railed  off,  the 
Sobornia   Ploshchad  with  the  cathedrals  and   beyond 
them  the  Grand  Palace.     In  the  centre  rises  Ivan  Veliki 
tower  which  serves  as  belfry  for  all  the  cathedrals. 

The  cathedrals  are,  for  the  most  part,  described  in 
detail  in  «  Moscow  of  the  Ecclesiastics  "  ;  the  palaces 


»? 


1 1 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

in  the  chapter  on  "  Moscow  of  the  Tsars/'  and  the 
Chudov  and  Vossnesenski  monasteries  in  chapter  xii. ; 
here  the  other  buildings  and  sights  of  the  Kremhn  may 
be  mentioned. 

First    and    foremost   to    treat   of  Ivan   VeHki ;    of 
Moscow  and  its  bells. 

According  to  tradition  the  tall  bell  tower  has  a  very 
ancient  origin  but  as  a  matter  of  fact  it  was  constructed 
at  the  close  of  the  sixteenth  century  to  find  employment 
for  a  starving  population.  Its  foundations  are  on  a  level 
with  the  river  bed,  1 20  feet  below  the  surface ;  its  height 
above  is  320  feet,  built  in  five  storeys,  the  first  four 
octagonal,  the  topmost  cylindrical.  In  the  eighteenth 
century  it  was  considered  one  of  the  wonders  of  the 
world,  and  to  this  day  the  orthodox  invariably  cross 
themselves  when  passing  it.  Dedicated  to  St  John 
and  containing  in  the  basement  a  chapel  to  the  same 
saint,  it  is  supposed  to  owe  its  name  to  this,  but  tradition 
states  that  it  was  constructed  by  one  John  (Ivan) 
Viliers  whose  patronymic  has  been  corrupted  into 
Veliki — that  is,  "great"  or  "big.'* 

There  are  450  steps  to  the  gallery  under  the  cupola, 
whereon  is  an  inscription  of  which  the  following  is  a 
translation : — 

«'  Under  the  protection  of  the  Holy  Trinity  and  by  order  of 
the  Tsar  and  Grand  Duke  Boris  Theodorovich  autocrat  of  all 
the  Russias,  and  of  his  son  the  Tsarevich  and  Grand  Duke 
Theodore  Borisovich,  this  church  has  been  completed  and 
gold-crowned  the  second  year  of  their  reign.     A.M.  7180."^ 

Adjoining  Ivan  Veliki  is  another  tower,  that  of  the 
Assumption,  in  which  are  hung  the  larger  bells,  and 
still  further  to  the  north  a  third  belfry  with  a  pyramidal 
spire,  known  as  the  Tower  of  Philaret. 

The  chapel  of  St  John  is  on,  or  near,  the  spot 
occupied  by  a  small  wood  church  first  erected  in  1320  ; 

^  Date  erroneous:  built  1590-1600  a.d. 
156 


The  Kremlin 

it  contains  several  ikons  of  interest.      On  the  first  storey 
under  the  dome  of  the  Assumption  Tower  is  a  chapel 
dedicated  to  St  Nicholas,  replacing  a  fourteenth-century 
church  in  the  Kremlin.     It  is  specially  visited  by  the 
orthodox  about   to   marry,  and    contains    some    ikons 
removed  from  the  church  of  St  Nicholas  of  Galstun, 
demolished  during  the  reign  of  Alexander   I.  (1816). 
A  deacon  of  the  old  church,  Ivan  Theodorof,  intro- 
duced printing  into  Russia,  and  in  i  567  produced  a  book 
of  hours  on  Moscow.     Hence,  the  book  depot  lodged 
in  the  tower.     Very  characteristic  of  Moscow  are  these 
three  towers,  of  different  styles  of  architecture,  massed 
to  form  one  building  ;    that  the  three   should   all  be 
white  is  a  pleasing  convention  which  has  long  endured. 
It  is  needless  to  state  that  there  is  an  excellent  view 
from  the  upper  storeys,  one  well  worth  the  toilsome 
ascent.     Moreover   the   bells   are   interesting;    though 
some  visitors  are  content  with  an  examination  of  the 
great  Bell  of  Moscow  which,  broken  and  flawed,  stands 
upon  a  pedestal  at  the  foot  of  the  Ivan  Veliki  tower. 

The    art   of  bell-founding    first    practised   at  Nola 
in  Campania  in  the  ninth  century,  has  been  known  in 
Russia  since  the  fourteenth;  in   1553  a  bell  of  about 
15  tons  was  cast  in  Moscow  and  hung  in  a  wooden 
tower.      Since  that  date  many   large   bells   have  been 
cast  and  recast.     The  largest,  the  Tsar  Kolokol,  the 
"  Great  Bell  of  Moscow,"  is  supposed  to  have  been 
first  cast  in  the  sixteenth  century,  probably  during  the 
reign  of  Boris  Godunov  ;  in  161 1  a  traveller  states  that 
in  Moscow  is  a  bell  whose   clapper   is   rung   by   two 
dozen  men  ;  in  1636,  a  fire  in  the  Kremlin  caused  the 
bell  to  fall  and  it  was  broken.     In  1654  it  was  recast 
and  then  weighed  some  1 30  tons  ;  it  was  2  feet  thick 
and  its  circumference  over  50  feet.     It  was  suspended 
at  the  foot  of  the  tower,  and  the  wooden  beam  support- 
ing it  being  burned  by  the  fire  of  1  706  it  once  more 

'57 


(1  \ 


The  Story  of  Moscoiv 

fell  to  the  ground  and  broke.  It  was  recast  by  order 
of  the  Empress  Anne  in  1733,  but  it  is  doubtful 
whether  it  was  hung.  From  1737  to  1836  it  lay 
beneath  the  surface.  By  the  order  of  the  Tsar 
Nicholas,  De  Ferrand  raised  it  from  the  pit  and 
mounted  it  on  the  pedestal  it  now  occupies.  It  is 
2  feet  thick,  21  feet  high  (26  feet,  4  inches  with  ball 
and  cross)  68  feet  in  girth,  and  weighs  185  tons.  The 
fragment  is  7  feet  high  and  weighs  11  tons.  The 
figures  represent  the  Tsar  Alexis  and  the  Empress 
Anne.      It  bears  a  long  inscription  : — 

«  Alexis  Michaelovich  of  happy  memory,  Autocrat  of  Great 
and  Small  Russia  and  of  White  Russia,  gave  the  order  that 
for  the  Cathedral  of  the  pure  and  glorious  Assumption  of  the 
Holy  Virgin,  a  bell  should  be  cast  with  8000  poods  of  copper 
in  the  year  of  the  world  7162  and  of  the  birth  of  Jesus  Christ 
our  Saviour,  1645.     This  bell  was  used  in  the  year  7176  (a.d. 
1668),  and  served  until  the  year  of  the  creation  7208  and  of 
Jesus  Christ   1701  ;  in  which  last  year  on  the  19  June  it  was 
broken  in  a  great  fire  that    destroyed  the  Kremlin :    it  was 
mute  until  the  year  of  the  creation  .   .   .  and  of  our  Lord.   .   .   . 
By   the  command    of   the   majestic    Empress-Autocrat    Anna 
Ivanovna   for  the  glory  of  God,  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  and  in 
honour  of  the  Holy  Virgin,  in  the  Cathedral  of  her  glorious 
Assumption,  they  melted  the  metal  of  the  old  bell  of  8000 
poods,  damaged  by  the  fire  and  added   thereto  2000  poods  of 
new  metal,  the  year  of  the  world  7241  and  of  the  birth  of  our 
Saviour   1734,  and  the  fourth  of   the  glorious  reign  of  Her 
Majesty."  ** 

"  Thirty-four  bells  hang  in  these  three  towers  ;  the 
largest  is  the  "big  bell  "  of  the  Uspenski  Sobor,  which 
18  m  the  middle  tower  and  on  the  lowest  tier.  It  was 
cast  in  181 7  by  Bogdanof,  to  replace  the  bell  broken 
when  the  tower  was  wrecked  by  the  mine  exploded 
beneath  it  in  181 2.  A  bell  of  7  tons  is  the  largest  in 
the  tower  of  Ivan,  which,  originally  founded  in  1501 
by  Afanasief,  has  been  subsequently  recast ;  the  next 
storey  has  three  old  bells  and  amongst  those  of  the 
.58 


The  Kremlin 

highest  storey  are  two  «  silver  ^  bells.  The  oldest  here 
SaL  from  1550;  other  old  bells,  Russian,  Dutch  and 
others,  are  hung  in  the  belfry  of  S pass  -  B-u,  m  t^^^^^ 
of  St  Michael  in  the  courtyard  of  the  Chudov  Monas- 
tery,  and  in  the  belfry  of  the  Vossnesenski  Convent. 
Ssian  bells  are  not  swung,  but  are  sounded  by  moving 
the  clapper,  to  the  tongue  of  which  the  bell  rope  is 
attached;  the  clapper  of  the  "  Kolokol  -  '4 J-  • 
in  length  and  6  feet  in  circumference.  The  famous 
bells  of  Moscow  are  : — 

-The  Tsar  Kolokol,  185  tons;  Assumption  or  'Big  Bell ' 

in  me     6a  tons '  The  Thunderer  (Reut  ,  30  tons,  cast  by 

Choko    ];  t689    it  also  fell  in  1812  but  was  not  broken; 

?hf  Every  Day'' (Vsednievni),  ^    -ns    -st^m    ^^^  ^ 

Seven-hundredth  (Semisotni),  10  tons  ;  B^^^C^^^jr^^^^^^ ,  Bell 

The  casting  of  the   great  bells  was  "lade  ^  f  ate 
function  as  well  as  a  church  ceremony;  ^«l^\^f  ^fj 
nineteenth  century,  the  old  form  of  Messing  the  be 
was  followed  in  the  case  of  the  Big  Bell,  which  is 
described  at  length  by  Dr  Lyall  who  was  present .- 

u  On  the  I7th  March  1817,  the  Archbishop  Augustine  went 
into?hetittn  which  the  Ltai  was  to^e  njn,^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 

U     .nd   the  casting  finished,  the  Archbishop  again  gave 
mould ;  and   the  5f^"ng  j^' j^j^^^.^  ^^re  present  at  the 

thanks  to  God.      Ihe  leaa  ng  n.  trinkets.     On  the 

casting,  and  freely  threw  ^-Zo^^^^^^^^^^  fo„„dry. 

23rd  February  1819  ^^is  beU  was  remove  had  been 

It  was  placed  on  an  oak  sledge  ^"^/^^^^^^^^^^^^^  and 

sung,  a  willing  crowd   -"^g^^^^^^^^^^fj^a  ^bianka  to  the 
drew  the  sledge  down   the  SrietenKa  an^  ^^^ 

Kusnetski  Most,  ^okhovaya    and  the  wh^le  1     g  .^^ 

Kremlin  wall  to  ^^e  Borov^sk    Gate  by  w^^^^  ^^^ 

entrance,  and   '^^'"^^^^^ ^^^^^^J^^^^^ 
Te  Deum  was  sung  again,    itwasnungm 


A 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

Closely  allied  to  the  art  of  the  bell-maker  was  that 
of  cannon-founder,   and    the   Kremlin    contains   some 
curious  and  excellent  specimens  of  old  weapons.     The 
most   striking  is   the  huge    gun   known   as    the    Tsar 
Pushka,  «  King  of  Guns/'  familiarly  as  the  "drobov- 
mk"  (fowling  piece),  which  was  cast  in  the  reign  of 
Theodore    Ivanovich    (1586),   by    one    Chokof.      It 
weighs   36   tons,  and   is  of  too  large  calibre  and  too 
weak   metal   ever   to    have    been    used    as    a    weapon. 
When  Peter  I.  after  the  battle  of  Narva,  ordered  old 
cannon  and  church  bells  to  be  cast  into  new  ordnance, 
this  was  spared.      So  was  the  mortar  by  its  side,  for 
It  was  cast  by  the  false  Dmitri,  who  not  only  took  a 
great  interest  in  the  manufacture  of  fire  arms,  but  tested 
them  himself.      Among  the  cannon  arranged  along  the 
barrack  terrace  is  "  The  Unicorn  "  cast  in   1670  ;  the 
carriage  of  this,  of  the  Tsar  Pushka,  and  of  others  are 
new,  made  by  Baird,  of  St  Petersburg.     Along  the 
front  of  the  arsenal  are  arranged  the  875  cannon,  365 
French,  taken  from  « the  twenty  nations  "  who  invaded 
Russia  with  Napoleon. 

It  has  already  been  stated  that  the  Kremlin  was  at 
one  time  a  complete  city;  to  a  certain  extent  it  is  so 
still.  Again  and  again  buildings  have  been  destroyed 
and  restored  ;  streets  made,  and  swept  away.  In  sink- 
ing the  foundations  for  the  Alexander  memorial  the 
debris  of  three  distinct  ruins  superimposed  showed  how 
one  town  has  succeeded  another,  and  as  at  that  point, 
so  at  many  others.  The  exercising  ground  was  long 
covered  with  dwellings ;  there  were  the  hostelries  of 
the  Krutitski  monastery,  the  houses  of  the  priests, 
seminaries,  private  dwellings— at  one  time  as  many  as 
twenty  streets  were  to  be  found  within  the  Kremlin 
walls.  Under  the  barracks  and  the  Chudov  monastery 
are  immense  vaults  of  ancient  brick  ;  below  the  Synod 
are  known  to  be  two  large  chambers  which  have  not 
»6o 


--  •  —- '      ^^-^ 


^- 


CHUaCH    OF    OUR    SAVIOUR    BEHIND    THE    GOLDEN    GATES 


[61 


The  Kremlin 

been  examined,  and,  in  the  very  centre  of  the  Kremlin, 
between  the  Tsar  Pushka  and  the  Chudov  Monastery, 
but  three  feet  beneath  the  pavement,  is  the  basement 
of  an  old  edifice,  vaults  of  white  stone,  probably  the 
remains  of  the  palace  of  the  Tsar  Boris  Godunov. 
The  smaller  palace  is  built  upon  the  side  of  an  early 
cemetery;  at  one  time  in  the  open  space  near  Ivan 
Veliki  criminals  were  publicly  executed  and  the  ukases 
of  the  Tsar  proclaimed.  In  the  same  way  that  the 
Kremlin  is  honeycombed  with  vaults  for  the  storage 
of  great  quantities  of  food  and  munitions  of  war,  it  is 
penetrated  by  different  conduits  for  the  water  drawn 
from  the  bed  of  the  neighbouring  stream  ;  a  supply  so 
plentiful  and  constant  that  the  Tsar  Alexis  used  it  to 
flow  through  great  lead  bottomed  tanks  and  ornamental 
lakes,  whereon,  like  later  Tsars,  he  amused  himself 

with  a  toy  fleet. 

The  railed  in  Sobornia  Ploshchad  has  been  from 
time  immemorial  the  Grand  enclosure.  Here  the 
religious  processions  formed,  and  form  ;  here  Dmitri 
Ivanovich  unfurled  the  black  standard  before  going 
out  to  give  battle  to  Mamai ;  here  most  Tsars  have 
passed  to  their  coronation,  or  have  walked  with 
their  brides  to  the  altar  for  the  wedding  sacrament; 
across  it  the  princes  and  Tsars  of  Moscow  have  been 
carried  to  their  last  resting  place.  Outside  that  door 
crouched  the  excommunicated  Ivan  Groznoi,  from  this 
the  frenzied  people  dragged  their  priest,  towards  that 
the  threatened  metropolitan  bravely  made  his  way  to 
officiate  at  a  forbidden  mass.  Before  the  Grand 
entrance  (Krasnoe  Kriltso)  foreign  ambassadors  drew 
up  in  pomp  to  make  their  calls  of  state,  on  that  same 
terrace  Ivan  with  his  staff  transfixed  the  foot  of  the 
brave  messenger  of  the  not  less  bold  Kourbski,  there, 
too,  he  gazed  at  the  comet  supposed  to  foretell  his 
death.     To  this  place  the  basket  for  the  petitions  of 

163 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

the  people  was  daily  lowered  from  the  Tsar's  palace 
window ;  on  this  spot  fell  the  body  of  the  murdered 
false  Dmitri.  Here  at  different  times  have  gathered 
Tartar  envoys,  merchant  venturers,  turbulent  Streltsi ; 
the  famished,  the  terrified  and  the  pestilent  stricken  ; 
Polish  soldiers,  French  grenadiers,  foreign  fighting- 
men  as  a  bodyguard,  the  dreaded  "  opritchniki "  ; 
bountiful  boyards.  Napoleon's  riff-raff;  humble  Russians 
to  petition,  pious  ones  to. pray,  grateful  ones  to  return 
thanks. 

The  imaginative  visitor  may  conjure  up  amidst  the 
buildings  whatever  scene  he  will  from  the  history  of 
Moscow  and  find  adequate  setting.  May  picture 
state  pageantry  ;  church  ceremonial ;  military  display  ; 
the  expression  of  perfervid  piety  ;  the  ruin  following 
fearful  disaster — whether  wrought  by  the  hand  of  man 
or  the  act  of  God.  Such  scenes  that  the  walls  will 
seem  to  echo  in  turn  the  laughter  of  homely  merry- 
making, the  huzzahs  of  victory,  the  wails  of  the  afflicted, 
the  uproar  of  the  turbulent,  the  sighs  of  the  worshipper 
— for  here  every  emotion  has  been  many  times  ex- 
pressed by  the  varying  multitudes  that  have  thronged 
these  courts. 

Entering  by  the  tower  of  Philaret,  the  Church  of  the 
Twelve  Apostles  is  on  the  extreme  right,  the  Cathedral 
of  the  Assumption  immediately  in  front,  that  of  the 
Archangels  on  the  left,  opposite  it  is  the  Cathedral  of 
the  Annunciation  communicating  with  the  royal  palaces 
by  a  terrace  from  which  descends  the  wide  flight  ot 
steps  which  as  their  name,  Krasnce  Kriltso,  indicates 
is  the  grand  or  state  entrance  to  the  palace.  It  was  on 
this  terrace  that  the  Tsars  of  old  allowed  the  people  to 
see  "the  light  of  their  eyes,"  and  there  that  those  ot 
noble  race  stood  to  be  "beholden  of  the  people."  At 
one  time  this  flight  had  the  usual  porch  at  the "^  foot, 
and  a  red  roof  above,  just  as  the  approaches  to  the  old 
164 


The  Kremlin 

churches  and  the  modern  house,  Dom  Chukina  off  the 
Tverskaia.  Fires  have  destroyed  the  roofs  and  now 
an  awning  only  is  used  upon  state  occasions.  These 
steps  flank  the  old  Granovitaia  Palace  and  on  its 
other  side,  in  an  obscure  corner,  almost  behind  the 
Cathedral  of  the  Assumption,  is  the  Holy  Spot  of 
the  Kremlin,  being  to  the  church  what  the  Krasnce 
Kriltso  was  to  the  state. 

It  is  the  old  entrance  to  the  private  apartments  of  the 
Patriarchs,  and  the  chapel  of  the  metropolitans,  that 
known  as    the  Pecherski   Bogeimateri,  raised  on  the 
site  of  the  earliest  stone  edifice  built  in  the  Krenilin. 
Founded  by  Jonas  it  suffered  the  fate  of  most  buildings 
in  Moscow,  but  was  always  rebuilt  in  much  the  same 
style,  and  still  conserves  many  characteristics  of  the 
most  ancient  of  Moscow  churches.     The  present  build- 
ing is  composed  of  the  fragments  left  from  the  fires  of 
1626,  1637,  1644  and   1682.     The  roof  is  vaulted, 
supported  by  four  columns ;  the  walls  have  pictures  of 
the  virgin  and  saints,  and  above  the  altar  is  that  of 
the  Madonna.      The  ikonostas  has  four  stages  and  is 
adorned  with   most  venerable  ikons,  notably   those  of 
"The     Reception    of    the   sacred    vestments    of    the 
Virgin"  of  the  Virgin  of  Vladimir  (an  early  copy), 
and  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  before  which  are  ancient 
candelabra  with  the  remains  of  tapers  made  like  the 
old  rushlights  and  gaily  coloured.     The  inscription  is 
to    the    effect  that   they    were   placed   there    by    the 
Patriarch    Joseph    in     1643    and     1645.       The   old 
chandelier    in   the  centre  is  by  Sviechkov,  a    master 
craftsman  of  the  Tsarian  workshops  in   1624.     The 
Virgin  of  Pechersk,  brought  from  Kiev,  is  hung  upon 
the  wall  and  surrounded  with  portraits  of  Peter,  Alexis, 
Jonas,  Philip,  and  other  of  the  patron  saints  of  Moscow  : 
before  this  ikon  all  must  bow  or  suffer  eternal  punish- 
ment.    The  church  is  never  closed ;  day  and  night  it 

165 


Tthe  Story  of  Moscow 


is  visited  by  pious  pilgrims  and  the  sacred  lamp  is  ever 
burning  before  the  ikon.  It  communicates  with  the 
corridor  of  the  Terem,  and  behind  it  rise  the  domes  of 
the  churches  within  the  palace,  notably  those  of  the 
Saviour  behind  the  Golden  Gates  and  St  Catherine's : 
near  them  the  roof  of  the  Terem  and  the  walls  of  the 
Granovitaia  Palace  complete  a  picture  wholly  Muscovite ; 
but,  if  tradition  may  be  trusted,  the  work  upon  the 
most  picturesque  portion,  St  Catherine's,  is  due  to  an 
Englishman,  one  John  Taylor,  in  the  service  of  the 
Tsars. 

On  Palm  Sundays  there  used  to  form  in  the  little 
square  before  the  porch  the  head  of  that  procession  in 
which  the  Tsar  led  the  Patriarch,  seated  upon  an  ass, 
by  the  Redeemer  Gate  to  the  Lobnce  Mesto.  Peter 
the  Great  turned  the  procession  to  mere  burlesque, 
mounting  the  Patriarch  upon  an  ox  and  himself  playing 
the  buffoon.  Here,  too,  were  the  miracle  plays  and 
church  mysteries  performed  in  the  seventeenth  century, 
and  here  the  church  processions  still  form  for  the  more 
stately  pageants  of  to-day. 

The  only  old  private  dwelling  remaining  within  the 
Kremlin  is  that  now  known  as  the  Potieshni  Dvorets, 
or  "palace  of  amusements,"  which  was  originally  the 
house  of  the  boyards  Miloslavski  and  was  acquired  by 
the  crown  after  the  marriage  of  the  Tsar  Alexis  with 
Maria  Miloslavski.  The  interior  has  now  nothing  of 
particular  interest,  but  the  exterior  is  an  excellent 
example  of  Russian  architecture  as  modified  by  mid- 
European  influence  in  the  late  seventeenth  century. 
Part  of  the  third  and  fourth  storeys  instead  of  retreat- 
ing, in  the  Russian  style,  is  made  to  project,  but  the 
**  belvedere,"  with  a  balcony  all  round,  is  retained  for 
the  top  storey  ;  retained,  too,  are  the  bulbous  pillars 
which  serve  as,  or  decorate  the  side  posts  of  doors  and 
windows,  and  the  long  pendant  keystones  to  form  the 
1 66 


The  Kremlin 

double-arch    instead   of  a   lintel ;    all   of  which    are 
peculiar  to   Russian  architecture. 


\iiik 


A  /\  % 

in  f  '^' 


'<i^i^J- 


i.^ m\ 


^rj^* 


POTIESHNI  DVORETS   (PLEASURE   PALACE) 

Several    explanations   for  the   common   use  of  the 
ogival  arch,  the  bulbous  dome,  and  the  double  arch 

167 


i 


W 


1,1 


^he  Story  of  Moscow 

with  hanging  keystones,  have  been  advanced  by 
antiquaries,  but  none  are  altogether  satisfactory.  The 
errors  have  possibly  resulted  from  studying  masonry  to 
the  exclusion  of  carpentry,  and  the  early  Slavs  were 
users  of  wood — not  of  stone  or  brick.  It  may  be  that 
these  forms  were  due  to  the  execution  in  light  elastic 
wood  of  arches  and  vaults  copied  from  foreign  work 
composed  of  voussoirs,  but  such  is  unlikely.  Assuming 
that  round  wood  poles,  the  stems  of  the  plentiful  young 
birch  trees,  and  wattles  were  the  materials  of  which  the 
frames  of  the  early  dwellings  were  constructed,  then 
such  forms  naturally  result. 

If  the  ends  of  poles  are  stuck  into  the  earth,  and  the 
opposite  extremities  brought  to  a  common  centre  and 
weight — as  that  of  the  roof — added,  the  timbers  will 
sagg  and  a  concave  section  result.     That  this  was  one 
Russian  form  of  roof,  the  illustration  of  the  Belvedere 
of  the  Terem  exemplifies  (see  page  117),  where  the 
curve    is   purposely    exaggerated   for   the    purpose   of 
decorative  effect.     If,  instead  of  being  placed  loosely 
in  the  earth  to  allow  of  this  set,  the  poles  are  thrust 
down  deep  into  the  soil  or  otherwise  made  immovable 
and  the  upper  extremities  forcibly  brought  in  towards  the 
centre  and  fastened  there,  then  when  the  weight  of  the 
roof  bends  the  poles,  they  will  bulge  outward  in  the 
middle,  and  when  the  weight  of  the  roof  has  been  so 
adjusted  as  to  correct  the  curve  in  order  to  give  to  the 
structure   the   desired   greatest  possible  interior  space 
for  domestic  accommodation,  then  the  bulbous  dome 
naturally  results  if  the  poles  be  arranged  in  a  circle. 
The  ogival  arch  is  only  a  section  of  that. 

Granted  that  if  the  poles  cross  each  other  near  the 
tops  a  more  or  less  concave  cone  will  result — as  ex- 
emplified in  the  tepoes  of  the  American  Indians — 
yet  if  instead  of  two  or  three  poles,  many  more 
have  to  be  brought  to  the  common  apex  it  will  be 
168 


The  Kremlin 


easier  not  to  cross  them  but  bind  all  firmly  to  each 
other — or  a  central  post— then  the  ogival  section  must 
result.  If  a  single  pole  is  bent  to  form  the  support  of 
a  roof  and  both  its  extremities  are  thrust  into  the  ground, 
the  horseshoe  arch  is  obtained  as  soon  as  the  weight 
of  the  roof  acts  upon  such  supports.  If,  instead  of 
the  single  pole,  two  shorter  ones  are  taken  and  instead 
of  being  lashed  together  to  form  the  pointed  arch 
the  upper  extremities  are  brought  towards  each  other 
and  downwards  and  then  lashed,  a  more  rigid  bow 
is  obtained,  and  this  is  the  crude  form  of  the  double 
arch  with  pendant  keystone  so  common  in  Moscow ; 
and  its  use  generally  is  over  doorways,  etc.,  where  a 
wide  span  with  great  stability  is  required,  and  with 
poles  as  the  only  available  material  this  form  gives 
rigidity  not  obtainable  by  bending  to  any  other  so  simple 

form. 

The  form  of  arched  vault  that  had  served  as  the  lowly 
dwelling  of  a  primitive  people  was  retained  in  its 
entirety  for  the  roof  of  later  and  larger  buildings ;  the 
walls,  whether  of  logs  or  shaped  timber,  served  as 
imposts,  just  as  the  soil  had  done,  and  so  the  bulbous 
domes,  the  square  and  oblong  attic  roofs  with  their 
characteristic  gonflements  have  been  retained.  It  is 
merely  an  example  of  the  persistence  as  decoration  of 
forms  which  were  originally  wholly  utilitarian.  This 
is  particularly  the  case  with  the  double  arch  where  the 
pendant  keystone  descends  to  the  level  of  the  imposts 
and  is  of  course  supported  from  the  lintel  when  exe- 
cuted in  masonry.  Another  characteristic  Russian  form 
is  the  circular  arch  of  masonry,  which  has  the  voussoirs 
of  the  intrados  of  the  usual  regular  form  but  of  the 
extrados  slightly  elevated  at  the  corner  to  indicate 
the  "ogival  arch,"  which  was  the  common  form  of 
the  wooden  arch  in  Moscow.  As  already  stated 
(ch.  ii.)   the  early  forms  of   Russian  dwellings  may 

169 


The  Story  of  Moscoiv 

be  studied  from  the  models  in  the  Historical  Museum ; 
one  peculiarity  is  that  each  successive  storey  is  set  back 
from  that  immediately  below  instead  of  projecting  as 
in  the  half-timbered  houses,  of  mediaeval  England. 
In  addition  to  the  belvederes  of  the  Terem  and 
Potieshni  Dvorets,  it  is  noticeable  in  the  towers  of 
the  Kremlin  wall.  They  were  originally  of  timber 
and  the  earlier  form  is  retained — even  to  the  double 
walls  and  tiers — so  necessary  to  a  wooden  bulwark, 
but  quite  foreign  to  the  method  of  the  Italian  masons 
who  erected  these  buildings.  The  steep  roofs  of 
the  towers  is  also  common  and  convenient  in  con- 
structing with  timber,  but  needless  and  difficult  when 
working  with  tiles  and  bricks.  So  long  as  these 
remain  the  wooden  original  Moscow  cannot  be  wholly 
forgotten. 

The  attempt  to  retain  the  pyramidal  or  retreating 
form  when  building  with  bricks  has  resulted  in  a 
distinctly  Muscovite  style  for  towers  and  spires.  In- 
stead of  a  parapet  on  the  walls  of  the  tower,  a  tier 
of  small  circular  arches  is  imposed,  and  form  the 
crowns  of  these,  also  set  back,  spring  the  voussoirs 
of  a  second  tier,  and  in  like  manner  other  tiers  until 
the  desired  height  is  reached  for  the  spire,  or  the 
cylindrical  shaft  that  is  to  support  the  dome,  or 
whatever  other  ornament  is  used  to  crown  the  struc- 
ture. One  of  the  best  examples  of  this  form  is 
the  church  of  the  Nativity  on  the  Mala  Dmitrovka, 
which  was  built  in  the  "  golden  "  period  of  Moscow — 
1 62  5- 1 680 — when  for  all  buildings  of  first  importance 
masonry  had  supplanted  the  use  of  wood  (see  p.  181). 
The  earlier  form  may  be  seen  in  the  roof  of  the 
Blagovieshchenski  Sobor  ;  and  the  varieties  of  pattern 
are  reproduced  in  the  attic  roofs  of  the  Historical 
Museum  building. 

The  absurdity  of  the  pendant  keystone  in  the  double 
170 


T*he  Kremlin 

arch  is  demonstrated  by  the  arch  over  the  doorway  to 
the  courtyard  of  the  synod,  and  the  lintels  of  doors 
and  windows  of  the  Potieshni  Dvorets. 

The  magnificent  monument  to  the  Great  Tsar 
Liberator,  Alexander  II.,  is  the  latest  addition  to  the 
Kremlin,  that  heart  of  Moscow  which  echoes  the 
glorious  past  of  the  Russian  empire  and  is  its  true 
Pantheon.  None  have  graced  it  more  than  those 
early  Romanofs  whose  work  is  evident  in  every 
ancient  building,  but  still  more  imperishable  was  the 
noble  labour  of  him  to  whom  this  generation  has  ex- 
pressed its  gratitude  in  an  imposing  and  characteristic 
memorial  to  the  most  loved  Tsar. 


171 


^f 


CHAPTER  IX 
Moscow  of  the  Ecclesiastics 

*•  Come,  brothers  I  your  heads  you  may  bow, 
Before  grand  and  most  holy  Moscow ; 
Where  the  old  altars  of  our  land, 
Where  shrines  of  saints,  and  ikons  stand, 
Our  inmost  sanctuary." — Borozdna. 

J-jOLY  Moscow,  80  reverently  and  affectionately 
regarded  by  the  orthodox  as  the  Mother  of  the 
Church,  is  to  them  more  than  a  mere  agglomeration 
of  sacred  shrines  and  ecclesiastical  edifices.  Neither 
the  churches — though  they  are  numerous  and  important 
enough  to  warrant  the  familiar  appellation— nor  yet  the 
wonder-working,  incorruptible  remains  and  the  miracu- 
lous ikons  most  endear  Moscow  to  the  true-believer 

for  there  are  such  elsewhere  which  receive  like  humble 
homage.  Holy  Moscow  comprises  all  that  has  served 
to  nurse  and  sustain  the  faith  amidst  infidel  aggression ; 
the  white-walled  and  golden-crowned  city  is  symbolic 
of  the  lasting  reward  of  heroic  endeavour  in  the  upward 
struggle  of  the  race  towards  supremacy.  Not  inde- 
structible itself,  but  its  spirit  undying ;  razed  time  after 
time  only  to  appear  again  greater  and  more  glorious 
than  before,  Moscow  seems  to  the  Russian  not  so  much 
a  part  of  the  national  entity  personified  in  empire,  as 
the  very  soul  of  his  race ;  possessed,  even  as  each  in- 
dividual, with  strength  to  endure  adversity  and  unfailing 
vigour  to  accomplish  a  predestined  purpose.  Traditions 
172 


Moscow  of  the  Ecclesiastics 

of  divine  intervention  ;  the  finding  and  promulgation  of 
Law  ;  much  that  is  miraculous  and  legendary  as  weU 
as  all  that  is   credible   in   early  national  history   the 
Russian  associates  with  Moscow,  and  feels  what  the 
stranger  cannot  be  made  to   perceive,  niay  even  tail 
to  comprehend,  for  the  outward  and  visible  sign  ot  the 
living  spirit  that  actuates  the  Church  is  but  faint  and 
imperfect,  even  as  performance  is  so  often  but  an  in- 
adequate rendering  of  intention.     Although  the  sanctity 
of  Moscow  may  not  be  apparent  to  the  unorthodox, 
the  observer  will  expect  some  characteristics  of  motive 
to  stand  revealed  in  externals.     But  to  the  umnitiated 
the  ritual  of  the  Russian  Church  is  bewildering,  and 
the  true  significance  of  such  symbols  as  are  exhibited 
in  ecclesiastical  architecture  and  ornament  is  likely  to 
be  missed  by  over  accentuating  the  importance  of  what- 
ever may  be  unusual.    For  many,  who  are  quite  ignorant 
of  its  tenets  and  practice,  the  Eastern  Church  has  an 
irresistible  fascination ;  the  danger  is  that  these,  on  a 
first  acquaintance  will  over-praise  such  details  as  they 
may  appreciate  and  too  hastily  condemn  others  they 
may  not   rightly  comprehend,  and  fail  to  arrive  at  a 
just  conclusion  by  means  of  further  study  when  no 
longer  attracted  by  the  novelty  of  the  subject.      1  o 
confine  oneself  to  the  consideration  of  externals  is  in- 
sufficient, being  tantamount  to  the  act  of  one  who, 
absolutely  ignorant  of  card  games,  endeavours  to  obtam 
an  idea  of  the  amusement  derived  from  their  play  by 
careful  examination  of  the  accurate  printing  and  careful 
finish  of  certain  cards  in  the  pack.     On  the  other  hand 
an  attempt  to  convey  by  words  alone  an  accurate  idea 
of  the  full  teaching  of  the  Eastern  Church  is  fore- 
doomed to  failure,  and  the  most  that  can  be  done  is  to 
indicate  the  broad  lines  of  the  policy  that  has  actuated 
it,  and  risk  such  errors  as  must  accrue  from  possible 
mistranslations  of  meaning. 

^73 


I.' 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

All  Christian  races  treasure  some  legend  as  to  the 
conversion  of  their  forefathers  by  one  of  the  Apostles. 
The  Russians  are  no  exception,  and,  in  any  event,  the 
introduction  of  Christianity  into  their  country  took 
place  in  the  heroic  age. 

"Novgorod,  a  city  of  great  antiquity,  having  been  founded 
by  Rha,  a  grandson  of  Noah  and  son  of  Japhet,  was  visited  by 
the  Apostle  St  Andrew  who  wished  to  preach   the  gospel. 
The  people  would  not  listen  to  him,  and  having  disrobed  the 
saint    threw   him    bound    into    a    scalding   bath.     The   saint 
distressed,   and   almost   suffocated   by   the    vapour,   called   out 
'  ISptaaa  '  (I  sweat),  whence  the  name  Russia.     Other  histories 
state  that  the  conversion  of  the  race  took  place  some  thousand 
years  later,  when,  strange  as  it  may  appear,  the  Polyans  were 
first  called  Russ,  as  some  think  from  *  ros,'  the  old   German 
name  for  'horse.'     There  is  a  tradition   that   Vladimir   the 
Great,  having  conquered  fresh  territory,  became  tired  of  hig 
pagan  gods  and  expressed  a  desire  to  embrace  a  newer  faith. 
With  the  Christianity  of  Rome  he  would  have  nothing  to  do, 
for,  he  said,  his  relations  in  the  west  had  embraced  that,  and 
yet  were  always  at  war  and  without  good  fortune.     The  Karaim 
Jews  of  South  Russia  wished  to  convert  him,  but  when   he 
learned  that  they  were  exiled  from  the  land  of  their  fathers 
and  had  no  country  of  their  own,  he  refused,  saying  they  were 
receiving  the  harvest  of  their  sins  and  that  he  had  no  wish  to 
cause  his  people  to  share  their  punishment.     Then  hearing 
that  at  Constantinople  another  religion  was  professed  he  sent 
delegates  thither  to  observe  and  judge  whether  or  not  it  would 
suit  him.     These  Russians  were  astonished  at  the  many  lights 
in  the  temple;  were  moved  by  the  singing  and  the  stately 
procession  of  deacons,  sub-deacons  and  others  to  and  from  the 
sacristy,  and,  particularly,  at  the  humble  manner  in  which  the 
people  prostrated  themselves  when  the  priests  appeared.     The 
ritual  they  did  not  understand  and  asked  their  guides  what  it 
all  meant.     '  All  that  we  have  seen,'  they  said,  '  is  awful  and 
majestic,  but  what  seems  to  us  supernatural  is  the  young  men 
who  have  white  wings  and  dazzling  robes,  and  cry  «  Holy  I 
Holy  I  Holy  1  "  in  mid-air— this  truly  surprises  us.'     <  What  ?  ' 
answered  the  guides,  <  do  you  not  know  that  angels  come  down 
from   heaven    to  our   services  ? '     '  You   are   right,'  said    the 
Russians  ;  « it  is  enough— more  we  do  not  wish  to  see  ;  let  us 
return  to  our  country  and  tell  of  that  which  we  have  already 


seen. 


'74 


Moscow  of  the  Ecclesiastics 

If  the  early  chronicles  may  be  trusted,  the  Bible  was 
first  translated  into  Slavic  by  Cyril  and  Methodius,  two 
Greek  monks  of  Byzantium,  about  the  year  863,  and 
so  prior  to  the  advent  of  the  Norseman  Rurik.  In  all 
probability,  the  faith  was  spread  by  proselytismg  clergy, 
in  part  helped  by  the  devotion  of  the  noble  women  of 
Byzantium  who  wedded  with  the  savage  Ros,  and  from 
the  first  was  wholly  independent  of  the  civil  power. 

Of  persecution  there  was  little  ;   Kiev  furnished  one 
Voerceger  martyr,  and,  as  elsewhere   among   heathen, 
the    Christian    religion  appears  to  have  been    readily 
embraced.      Before  the    Kremlin    was    raised,    before 
Moscow  was,  the  church  was  represented  on  the  banks 
of  the  Moskva  by  the  little  wooden  chapel  "spass  na 
Boru."     Ivan  Kalita  was  one  of  the  first  to  recognise 
the  usefulness  of  the  church  as  an  adjunct  to  civil  and 
military  power ;  he  made  priests  not  only  welcome  in 
Moscow  but  all  important  there.      How   the  reigning 
princes  caused  the  church  in  Moscow  to  rival  in  authority 
that  of  Kiev  and,  later,  to  attain  supremacy  throughout 
Russia,  has  already  been  stated.     Of  equal  importance 
to  the  work  initiated  by  any  Tsar  were  the  services  of 
St  Sergius,  founder  of  the  great  monastery  at  Troitsa, 
which  at  one  time  possessed  immense  tracts  of  land  and 
owned  more  than  100,000  serfs.     Sergius  was  born  at 
Great  Rostov,  and  in  his  youth  passed  some  time  near 
Moscow,  and  later,  having  a  dozen  disciples  and  the  aid 
of  the  Patriarch  of  Constantinople,  helped  greatly  the 
colonisation  of  Russia  by  sending  out  monks  trained  at 
Troitsa.     He  lived  the  life  of  a  hermit,  and  even  when 
abbot  did  his  full  share  of  the  menial  labour.  A  commonly 
seen  picture  represents  him  as  on  old  man  seated  on  a 
rough  bench  sharing  his  piece  of  bread  with  a  bear. 
Then    came  St  Peter,  an    apostle   sent   from    Mace- 
donia, who,  as  a  sign  "passed  through  the  fire"  un- 
injured ;  after  converting  many  he  settled  at  Kiev  and 

'75 


^ 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

was  of  great  assistance  to  George  Danielovich  in  raising 
the  clerical  status  of  Moscow,  and  to  his  «  incorruptible 
remains  "  many  miracles  are  attributed.    A  large  number 
of  relics   assigned  to   him   are   still  preserved  in   the 
Uspenski   Sobor   and  the   sacristy   of   the  Patriarchs. 
Next  in  importance  to  Moscow  was  Alexis,  the  Metro- 
politan,   afterwards    canonised.        From    the     earliest 
times,  the  clergy,  living  the  life  of  the  people  and  not 
that  of  the   military  caste,  had  great   influence   with 
citizens    and    peasants ;    many    times   the    church    has 
raised  the  spirit  of  the  nation  when  oppressed  by  foreign 
invaders.    It  spurred  on  Ivan  III.   to  overthrow  the 
Mongol  rule,  and  stirred  up  the  people  to  repulse  the 
Poles  and  secure  national  independence.     One  source 
of  its  power  has  been  the  use  of  the  vernacular  in  all 
services  ;  the  church  most  certainly  during  the  centuries 
of  Tartar  dominion  also  preserved  the  Slavic  tongue 
from  foreign  dialects.     The  clergy  have  always  held 
it  their  chief  duty  to  pass  on  to  their  successors  their 
faith  as  they  received  it.      Schism  is  not  tolerated  ;  the 
slightest   modification    of   ritual    is    forbidden.      The 
Metropolitans  of  Moscow  were  long  able  to  preserve 
the  independence  of  the  church  against  the  encroach- 
ments of  the   reigning  princes  ;    Ivan    the   Terrible's 
chief  plaint  against  the  clergy  was  that  they  exercised 
their  privilege   of  forbidding  the   execution  of  those 
whom  he  had  condemned  to  death.      Boris  Godunov 
gave    Moscow  a  Patriarch,  and   added  to  the  power 
of  the   church   by  appointing  seven  of  the   clergy   to 
seats  in  the  States  Council.     When,  in  i6i 5,  the  Tsar 
Michael  met  his  father,  the  Patriarch  Philaret,  on  the 
banks  of  the  Pressenaia  (near  the  Drogomilov  Bridge) 
both  bowed  low  and  remained  long  recumbent,  unwill- 
ing that  either  should  consider  the  head  of  the  church 
superior  or  inferior  to  the  head  of  the  state.     From 
that  time  until  Philaret*s  death  in  1639  father  and  son 
176 


Moscow  of  the  Ecclesiastics 

practically  ruled  conjointly.  Nikon  was  scarce  content 
to  be  the  equal  of  his  sovereign,  and  ranked  the  church 
above  the  state :  he  fell.  Peter  the  Great  scornfully 
suppressed  the  Patriarchate,  but  did  not  arrogate  to 
himself  the  powers  of  the  head  of  the  church,  substi- 
tuting a  synod  to  be  elected  from  the  hierarchy  he 
himself  appointed.  So  it  remains  to  the  present  day,  the 
reigning  monarch  having  no  right,  from  his  position,  to 
interfere  in  spiritual  affairs,  yet  still  controlling  the  ad- 
ministration of  church  law. 

In  matters  of  belief  the  Eastern  church  nearly  approaches  the 
AnRlican,  the  main  divergence  is  that  whereas  the  Anglican 
an/Rom;n  churches  agre?  that  the  Holy  Ghost  proceeds  from 
the  Father  and  the  Son,  the  Eastern  Church  holds  that  it  pro- 
ceeds from  the  Father  only.  The  bible  may  be  read ;  the  church 
may  interpret  its  teaching,  "  for  the  traditions  of  the  church 
ha/e  been  maintained  uncorrupted  through  the  influence  of 
the  Holy  Spirit."  God  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
Ghost,  "perfectly  equal  in  nature  and  dignity,"  may  alone  be 
worshipped;  but\omage  may  be  paid  to  the  Virgin  Mary 
and  reverence  shown  to  the  saints,  to  ikons  and  to  re  ics. 
That  this  may  not  be  abused,  bishops  ^^^.^^eir  consecration 
are  requested  to  promise  that  "honour  shall  be  shown  to  God 
only,  not  to  the  sacred  ikons,  and  that  no  false  miracle  shall 
be  a;cribed  to  them.  ...  The  moshi  or  incorruptible  remains 
which  are  so  greatly  venerated,  are  the  corpses  of  those  long 
dead,  whose  burial-place  has  been  forgotten  and  is  made  known 
by  a  supernatural  manifestation.  These  remains  must  not 
bl  subject  to  the  ordinary  process  of  decay,  and  may  possess 
such  virtue  as  to  miraculously  cure  the  sick-which  is  the 
quality  usually  attributed  to  them." 

The  ecclesiastical  architecture  of  Moscow,  or  of 
Russia,  is  not  so  complex  as  it  appears  to  be  at  hrst 
sight ;  originally  the  place  for  Christian  worship  was 
but  a  square  log-hut ;  add  an  apse  at  the  east  end, 
cover  the  building  with  a  dome  roof  supporting  a  cross 
to  indicate  its  sacred  character,  and  the  external  structure 
of  the  primitive  church  is  complete.  Instead  of  a  dome 
roof  it  was  found  easier,  as  larger  buildings  became 


177 


1 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

necessary,  to  cover  with  the  dome  only  the  centre  of 
the  church,  which  was  still  further  elevated  to  make 
more  prominent  the  dome  and  cross  denoting  the 
purpose  of  the  building.  Three  apses,  symbolic  of  the 
Trinity,  took  the  place  of  one  ;  five  and  seven  are 
sometimes  found.  When  the  idea  of  the  original 
whole  dome  roof  was  expressed  by  four  small  domes 
arranged  around  the  higher  central  one,  the  model 
became  the  permanent  type  from  which  all  other  forms 
have  been  elaborated.  The  primitive  type  is  best 
exemplified  in  the  church  of  St  Michael  within  the 
Chudov  monastery,  but  the  cathedrals  of  the  Assump- 
tion and  of  the  Archangels,  on  the  Sobornia  Ploshchad 
of  the  Kremlin,  will  serve  equally  well  to  illustrate  the 
permanent  form.  The  origin  and  development  of  the 
bulbous  dome,  as  well  as  the  size,  position  and  number 
of  secondary  domes,  may  be  traced  by  comparing  the 
various  old  churches  in  South  Russia,  and  those  of 
wood,  formerly  or  at  present  existing  in  "  wooden  " 
Russia.  For  this  purpose  a  convenient  series  of  framed 
drawings  is  to  be  found  on  stands  in  Room  /3  of  the 
Historical  Museum.  They  confirm  what  has  already 
been  stated  in  the  preceding  chapter,  concerning  the 
origin  of  Russian  architecture,  and  show  that  the 
number  of  domes — some  churches  have  seventeen,  if 
not  more — is  immaterial,  since  all  should  be  so  arranged 
as  to  increase  the  importance  of  the  central  one. 
Those  in  which  all  are  equal  in  size  and  height — as 
the  roof  over  the  chapels  of  the  Terem — are  quite 
exceptional.  The  chief  modification  arose  from  the 
necessity  of  preserving  the  structure  and  its  valued 
contents  from  the  great  cold  of  the  winter  and  the  ex- 
cessive moisture  of  the  summer.  To  overcome  the  first 
difficulty  the  church  was  surrounded  with  a  gallery ;  to 
obviate  the  second  the  floor  of  the  church  raised  to  a 
higher  storey  ;  when  the  two  were  combined  as  in 
178 


m\ 


Moscow  of  the  Ecclesiastics 

many  churches  of  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth 
century,  some  elaboration  of  proaulion  and  Kriltso  was 
natural.  The  best  specimens  of  this  class  are  the 
churches  of  St  Nicholas  of  the  Great  Cross  on  the 
Ilyinka,  and  of  the  Assumption  on  the  Pokrovka ; 
the  ordinary  design  is  thai:  of  the  porches  and  approach 
to  Vasili  Blajenni,  and  of  the  Blagovieshchenski  Sobor 
before  the  ground  was  raised  to  its  present  level. 

The  belfry,  a  somewhat  late  comer  to  the  Russian 
church,  was  usually  a  separate  building  adjacent  to, 
but  not  a  component  part  of,  the  church  itself.     When 
masonry  superseded  wood,  the  old  designs  were  for  the 
most   part   retained:    so   possibly  the   only  other   im- 
portant point  of  general  application  is  the  subsequent 
employment  of  the  tapering  spire — and  its  modifica- 
tions of  superposed  arches,  etc. — to  support  the  dome 
and  cross,  instead  of  the  cylindrical  shaft  peculiar  to 
Russian  architecture,  which  last  was  evidently  derived 
from  round  towers  of  very  remote  origin.    The  windows 
are  small  and  unimportant — often  mere  oblong  slits  in 
the  wall— and,  though   the   accepted   form  admits  of 
little  modification  towards  the  elaboration  of  elegance 
and  grace  in  the  design,  and  the  decoration  is  limited 
by  the  ecclesiastical  objection  to  carved  figures— and 
climatic  conditions  which  preclude  the  employment  of 
projecting  mouldings  and  all  fine  work  in  high  relief— 
the  brilliant  colouring  and  mural  decorations  of  plane 
surfaces  convey  an  impression  of  richness,  which,  com- 
bined with  the  absence  of  the  usual  and  conspicuousness 
of  strange  decorations,  magnify  the  whole,  in   many 
instances,  into  the  resemblance  of  whatever  the  imagina- 
tion may  picture  as  most  ornate  and  brilliant. 

In  essentials  the  interior  arrangements  of  all  the 
churches  are  similar:  east  of  the  pillars  that  support 
the  central  dome,  the  church  is  divided  by  the 
ikonostas — a  development  of  the  rood-screen — which 

179 


Ifl 


ii 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

separates  the  officiating  priests  from  the  worshippers. 
In  old  churches  seats  were  placed  round  the  walls  and 
stalls  provided  for  persons  of  high  rank,  but  for  long  it 
has  been  customary  for  the  congregation  to  stand  during 
the  services.     Behind  the  ikonostas  is  the  sanctuary  ; 
there  females  may  not  enter,  nor  any  male  if  physically 
imperfect ;  it  is  disclosed  to  the  worshippers  during  the 
celebration  of  Mass  by  opening  the  "  Royal  Doors  " 
in    the    centre    of  the    ikonostas.     There    are    in    all 
churches  sacred  ikons,  having  the  place  of  honour  on 
the   ikonostas  ;  decorative  and  illustrative  pictures  are 
placed  there  also,  and  the  same — as  frescoes,  or  other- 
wise— around  the  central  columns  and  along  the  walls 
of  the  church.     Usually  the  north  wall  is  appointed 
for  those  pertaining  to  the  saint  to  whom  the  church  is 
dedicated  ;  the  south  wall  to  the  seven  councils,  the 
west  to  other  sacred  subjects.     Although  the  ikonostas 
is  the  equivalent  of  the  rood-screen  in  the  old  English 
churches,  it  is  not  only  always  a  fixture,  but  sometimes 
a  solid  partition  of  masonry,  being  really  that  barrier 
which    shuts    off  the    Holy   of  Holies,  that   may   be 
entered  by  the  consecrated  priests  alone,  from  the  rest 
of  the  temple.     It  is  always  decorated,  but  the  high 
ikonostas,  having  five,  or  even  seven,  tiers  of  pictures 
is    a    development    later    than    the    fifteenth    century. 
The   "  Royal   Doors "   must  have   representations  of 
the    Annunciation    and    the    four    Evangelists,    since 
through  this  entrance  came  the  glad  tidings  of  the 
Eucharist ;  right  and  left  of  the  doors  the  Saviour  and 
the  Madonna  ;  also,  usually,  Adam,  as  the  first  fallen, 
and  the  Penitent  Thief  as  the  first  redeemed  ;  above, 
the  Trinity  ;    Abraham   entertaining   the  three  angels 
and  John  the  Baptist  most  frequently  figure    on    the 
screen,   and,  on   the   pillars   facing    the  entrance,  the 
Publican  and  Pharisee  as  symbolic  of  an  all  inclusive 
congregation  of  worshippers. 
1 80 


Moscow  of  the  Ecclesiastics 

« 

In  the  Sanctuary  is  a  tabernacle  or  Sinai,  upon  the 
altar,  and  over  it  a  baldachino  on  which  the  cross  is 
laid  horizontally— or  nearly  so.     In  the  apse  behmd 


CHURCH    OF    THE    NATIVITY    AND    FLIGHT 

the  altar  is  the  thronos  or  seat  of  the  head  of  the  church, 
with  other  seats  for  priests  on  both  sides  ;  the  choir  is 
a  raised  dias  before  the  ikonostas. 

The  Russian  cross  has  eight  points.  To  the  Latin 
cross  are  added  the  titulus,  and  a  lower  diagonal  cross- 
piece  which  is  assumed  to  be  a  rest  for  the  feet.  Post 
hoc,  propter  hoc,  and  that  this  rest  slants  is  said  to  be 
due  to  the  fact  that  Christ  was  lame  ;  others  think  that 

181 


I' 


,- 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

its  purpose  is  merely  to  give  the  idea  of  perspective  of 
the  hill  Golgotha  on  which  the  cross  was  placed,  and 
others  as  indicating  the  earthquake,  whilst  those  versed 
in  mystic  symbolism  will '  recognise  a  totally  distinct 
signification.  1  To  these  last  too,  the  accepted  explana- 
tions of  the  crescent  from  which  the  cross  rises  will  be 
insufficient.  It  was  common  in  Russia  prior  to  the 
Mongol  occupation,  so  is  not  the  result  of  placing  crosses 
upon  mosques,  or  intended  to  denote  the  subjugation  of 
Mahommedanism  to  Christianity.  More  probable  is 
the  explanation,  that  in  ancient  pictures  the  Virgin  is 
shown  standing  upon  the  crescent,  and  the  cross  was  later 
placed  by  the  Russian  ecclesiastics  to  denote  that  the 
cross  issues  from  the  Mother  of  God.  Maxim,  the 
Greek,  in  the  sixteenth  century,  declared  that  the 
crescent  represented  Upsilon,  the  initial  of  D-v^oj,  and 
so  is  emblematical  of  the  uplifting  of  the  cross  ;  but  if 
its  application  as  a  sign  of  Christian  dogma  is  open  to 
various  constructions,  all  will  at  once  recognise  the  sign 
as  one  of  the  most  ancient  and  general  of  mystic  symbols. 
The  ecclesiastical  art  of  Russia  is  of  a  different 
nature  to  that  of  any  school  of  the  west.  The  ikons, 
or  sacred  pictures,  must  be  exact  copies  of  the  originals, 
thus  the  practice  supports  Gibbon's  contention  that 
the  religious  value  of  a  sacred  image  depends  for  its 
efficacy  upon  its  resemblance  to  the  orignal.^  In 
Moscow  there  are  several  pictures  of  the  Saviour  "  not 
made  with  hands,"  being  in  that  respect,  and  that  only, 
similar  to  the  Veronica  and  the  miraculous  image  ot 
Edessa.     They  are  not  alike,  and  their  origin  is  not 

1  The  Russian  cross  is  derived  from  the  old  eastern  form  of 
the  Greek  letter  xl. 

'-2  «  By  a  slow  though  inevitable  progression  the  honours  of 
the  original  were  transferred  to  the  image ;  the  merit  and 
effect  of  a  copy  depends  upon  its  resemblance  with  the 
original." — Gibbon, — Decline  and  Fall  of  the  Roman  Empire, 
chapter  xlix. 

l82 


Moscow  of  the  Ecclesiastics 

known,  but  it  is  conjectured  that  the  initials  O  &  H,  on, 
the  nimbus,  have  been  wrongly  interpreted  as  the  mitials 
oiot.otsa,  Nebesnavo,  which  means  "  From  Our  Father, 
on  High  "  instead  of  On,  Otets,  Nash—*'  He  is  Our. 
Father."     The  Greek  characters  were  little  known  in. 
Russia,  and  one  of  the    pictures   has  this   legend  in 
Greek   O.n.N.     In  the  same   connection  it  is  worth 
noting  that  our  I.H.S.  is  a  misreading  into  Latin  of 
IH2,  the  Greek  contraction  of  IHSoDc,  where  the  long 
e  was  mistaken  for  a  capital  H,  and  the  dash  above  it 
developed  into  a  cross.     The  ordinary  ikons  are  re- 
stricted to  fixed  types ;  the  artist  therefore  has  never 
needed  to  create,  only  to  reproduce.     There   are  no 
Russian  Madonnas,  all  are  replicas  of  pictures  brought 
from  Greece  or  Byzantium  ;  "  the  ikon  painter  knows 
but  one  costume,  for  all  places  and  all  times  it  changeth 
not ;    tradition  fixes  the  form  of  the  head,  the  pose, 
the  proportion,  the  attitudes  and  the  attributes.        Most 
are  produced  by  monks  and  probationers  who  follow 
the    instructions    given   in    a    tenth    century    Mb.    by 
Dionysius  of  Mount  Athos.      Rigorously  it  is  only  the 
features  of  the  saint  that  must  be  exactly  reproduced  ; 
in  practice  it  is  customary  to  cover  all  but  the  face  and 
hands  with  thin   metal— gold,  silver,  or   gilt,  and  to 
ornament   the    setting    lavishly.       In   the    seventeenth 
century,  the  golden  age  of  Muscovite  ecclesiasticism, 
there  were  several  branches  of  ikon  paintmg,  not  differ- 
ing sufficiently  to  warrant  the  appellation  of  "  schools. 
These  were  known  as  the  Imperial  or  Court  style  ;  the 
Village,  the  Strogonov,  and  the  Monastic.     Novgorod 
would  have  the  faces  yellow ;  the  Strogonov  msisted 
upon  dark  green— an  introduction  from  Byzantium,  and 
sometimes   known  as  Khorsunski.     Black  virgms  are 
not  unknown— the  result  of  time  upon  impure  pigments; 
those  with  three  small  scratches  on  the  face  are  copies 
of  the  Iberian  Mother  of  God,  a  twelfth  century  ikon 

183 


i 


•  -<   r" 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

of  the  Virgin.  Graven  images  are  not  allowed  in  the 
Russian  Church,  being  held  to  be  a  violation  of  the 
second  commandment.  The  only  exception  is  that  of 
St  Nicholas.  Holy  Statues  were  abolished  by  order 
of  the  Patriarch  Philaret,  and  when  these  were  removed 
from  the  churches  all  went  well  until  hands  were  laid 
upon  one  of  the  representatives  of  the  patron  Saint ; 
no  force  could  stir  that ;  where,  by  extraordinary  means, 
the  statue  was  broken  from  the  pedestal,  the  image  of 
the  saint  reappeared.  This  is  the  only  figure  seen  in 
high  relief,  and  is  usually  made  with  the  model  of 
a  church  in  his  hand.  The  popularity  of  the  saint 
may  be  estimated  from  the  fact,  that  at  one  time  there 
were  as  many  as  1 1 8  churches  in  Moscow  dedicated 
to  St  Nicholas. 

The  rites  of  the  Russian  Church  are  complex,  and 
to  the  unorthodox,  perplexing.  The  celebrant  by  the 
minute  observance  of  minor  details  gives  to  every  act  a 
symbolic  meaning,  and  to  even  the  least  significant  of 
them  some  dogma  of  the  church  is  attached.  The 
service  is  in  Slavonic,  of  which  the  ordinary  people 
do  not  understand  the  letter,  but  can  follow  the  general 
meaning ;  it  is  impressive  apart  from  its  significance, 
and  is  intended  so  to  be.  It  commences  with  a  call 
to  worship — the  vozg/ass — singing  of  psalms  ;  a  series 
of  prayers — eiienia — for  the  welfare  of  the  church, 
intoned  ;  the  evangels  or  epistles  also  intoned  ;  "  choral 
and  part-singing  of  unequalled  harmony  and  richness  ; 
prayers ;  consecration  of  the  elements  ;  administration 
of  the  sacrament,  which  the  priest  takes  every  service, 
and  the  congregation  at  will,  but  at  least  once  yearly  ; 
thanksgiving,  and  the  parting  benediction ;  chanting 
and  incense-burning  are  frequent  throughout,  and 
asperging  is  practised  at  the  commencement  and  termina- 
tion. For  the  greater  part  of  the  time  the  "  Royal 
doors"   are  closed:    the  deacons   remain  before   the 

184 


Moscow  of  the  Ecclesiastics 

ikonostas,  but  now  and  again  some  enter  the  Sanctuary 
for   a  short  time.     From   time   to   time    priests  and 
acolytes    pass   to    and   fro    among   the   congregation, 
incensing  all  the  sacred  ikons  in  turn.     The  voice  of 
the  officiating  priest  is  raised  within,  and  is  answered 
in  deep  tones  by  the  deacons  without.     Now  from  some 
unnoticed  corner  comes  a  clear  ringing  chant  from  many 
voices,  from  another  a  deep  single  voice  is  heard  inton- 
ing the  epistle,  or  evangel,  of  the  day ;  then  suddenly  the 
Rayal  doors  fly  open  and  a  glimpse  is  obtamed  of  the 
celebrant  through  thick  rolling  clouds  of  incense ;  the 
people  prostrate  themselves  and  the  doors  close.       Later 
the  priest  emerges  and  the  service  has  concluded-to 
the  unorthodox   stranger    of  any   creed    it   has    been 

almost  meaningless.  -     ^  a     \u  fUot 

The  history  of  Moscow  is  so  intermingled  with  that 
of  the  Russian  Church,  and  the  cathedrals  of  the 
Kremlin  and  private  chapels  of  the  palace  the  scene  ot 
so  many  notable  events,  that  the  reader  will  not  need 
a  recountal  of  the  stories  concerning  the  historica 
characters  who  have  made  them  famous.  Here  it  will 
suffice  if  the  minor  details  to  be  examined  are  enumer- 
ated, and  the  tale  of  the  struggle  between  orthodoxy 
and  dissent  succinctly  related. 

UsPENSKl    SOBOR 

The  Cathedral  of  the  Assumption,  formerly  known 
as  that  of  the  Patriarchs,  originated  with  the  Metro- 
politan  Peter,  who  said  to  Ivan  "  Kalita,  "  If  thou 
wishest  that  my  old  age  be  graced  with  peace,  content, 
and  fulness,  thou  wilt  raise  on  this  site  a  grand  temple 
to  our  Holy  Mother  of  God,  then  shalt  thou  hkewise 
be  happy,  become  the  most  illustrious  of  the  princes  ot 
our  age,  and  thy  race  powerful  throughout  the  earth. 
So  in  I<126  Ivan  erected  a  fine  wooden  church,  which, 
in  1472,  when  the  wood  buildings  were  being  replaced 

185 


)S\ 


.  I 

.'Ml 
II 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

by  those  of  stone,  was  taken  down  and  an  attempt  made 
by  Russian  artisans  to  build  its  equal  in  brick.     Before 


USPENSKl    SOBOR,    THE   IKONOSTAS 

this  work  was  complete  the  walls  fell,  and  Aristotle  of 
Bologna,  who  had  been  entrusted  with  the  removal  of 
the  Campanile  there,  and  the  repair  of  the  leaning  tower 
of  Cento,  was  ordered  to  construct  the  cathedral  anew. 
Aristotle  taught  the  Muscovites  how  to  make  larger 
1 86 


1 


Moscow  of  the  Ecclesiastics 

and  harder  bricks  than  the  pantiles  to  which  they  were 
accustomed  ;  how  to  turn  an  arch  and  niake  vaulted 
roofs.  He  took  as  his  model  for  this  cathedral  the 
church  of  the  Virgin  in  Vladimir  and  used  the  white 
stone  of  Kolomna  hewn  into  rectangular  blocks  which 
he  fastened  together  with  iron  cramps. 

Structure.-Th.  foundations  are  is.feet  ^^^^ ^^l^^]^! 
but  the  floor  of  the  cathedral  was  onginaUy  seven  or  more  feet 
lower  than  at  present;  height  to  cupola  iz8  feet  The  ^aUs 
were  strengthened  in  1626  after  the  injury  done  by  the  Foles  , 
Tn  ,684  th!  domes  were  covered  with  gilded  -Pl^;,  -d  the 
mural  decorations  restored  after  the  fire  of  AH  Saint  s  day 
^737,  and  the  French  occupation,  but  otherwise  the  edifice,  is 

'l^tr;::Ttr^^  l';ihe  Oolden  Gates  of  Korsoun 
which  were  carried  from  that  town  to  Suzda  land  thence  to 
Moscow-they  are  actually  of  coppered  iron  g>l.t',^'";t^^"'*' 
^enty  compartments  exhibiting  scenes  from  biblical  history 
and  below  Apollo,  Plato,  and  mythological  figures.  Before 
them  the  Grand  Princes  of  Muscovy  were  invested  with  the 
lu^orty  of  the  Khan  by  his  bash kak  during  the  centuries 
of  the  Mongol  supremacy.  The  Royal  entrance  is  by  the 
western  doofs ;  the  public  entrance  by  those  on  the   north 

''%e  interior  is  remarkable  for  its  ikonostas  and  ikons.     The 
screen    s  of  masonry  and  descends  ,0  feet  below  the  surface  ; 

Ts  adorned  with  frescoes,  which  may  be  inspected  only  when 

he  sacred  ikons  are  removed  for  that  special  purpose      The 

upper  range  has  been  recently  restored  to  its  condition  prior 

to?heFreLh  invasion,  when  the  oW  one  was  stnpped  of  all 

its  precious  metal;  the  great  silver  chandelier  of  »94o  lbs., 

made  in   England  in   1630,  was  put  in  the  casting-pot  and 

rcafes  suspenid  from  it^  place;  horses  w.re  stabled  in  the 

chaoel  and  tethered  to  the  coffins  of  the  metropolitans.     Not 

content  with  robbing  the  sanctuary  of  its  precious  metals  the 

French  Teliberately  placed  the  mannikins  from  the  old  suits 

of  armour  in   the  Orujenni  Palata    as  idols   m    conspicuous 

posit^ns  about  the  church.     The  chandeliers  are  of  silver- 

Lme  900  lbs.  of  which  in  the  one  from  the  cential  cupola  is 

h^t  recovered  by  the  Cossacks  from  the  retreating  French : 
some  five  tons  of  precious  metal  are  in  the  present  ikonostas 
"rl/ILtncludeV  most  prized  Mary  of  Vladimir  attributed 
to  St  Luke,   which   was   brought   from   Tsar   Grad  -  Con- 

1 07 


The  Story  of  Moscow 


M 


iMl 


stantinople— to    Kief,   taken    by    Andrew   Bogoloobski    to 
Vladimir  and   brought   to  Moscow  on   the  Tartar  invasion. 
It   is   regarded   as   miraculous,   having    saved   the   city  from 
Tamerlane,  and  on  subsequent  occasions.     Tsars  and  people 
alike  in  past  generations  have  regarded  this  picture  as  their 
Palladium.     Ot  its  artistic  merits  it  would  be  idle  to  write ; 
black  with  age  and  discoloured  by  the  accidents  incidental 
to  preservation  in  an  oft  burned  city,  it  is  as  represented  in 
the  frontispiece.     Completely  enveloped,  but  hands  and  face,  in 
precious  metal  and  handsome  garniture,  it  exhibits  a  richness 
of  decoration  few  articles  of  vertu  can  equal;  the  gems  alone 
being  valued  at  upwards  of  / 100,000,  and  the  great  emerald 
itself  at  ;^ 1 0,000.     The  next  ikon  of  importance  is  that  of  the 
Holy  Virgin  of  Jerusalem,  which,  according  to  tradition,  was 
the  work  of  the  apostles.     Taken  to  Constantinople  in  the 
fifth  century  and  to  Kherson  in  the  tenth,  it  came  thence  to 
Moscow— but,  others  say,  it  is  but  a  copy,  the  original  having 
disappeared  during  the  French  occupation.     On  the  right  of 
the  rovai  doors  is  the  image  of  our  Saviour  in  the  golden 
chasuble,  painted  by  the  Greek  emperor  Manuel,  and  brought 
from   Novgorod  the  Great  in   1478.     By  its  side  is  an  ikon 
with   most  brilliant  colouring  representing  the  Assumption, 
which  is  said  to  be  the  work  of  the  metropolitan  Peter,  the 
founder  of  the  church ;  but  if  it  be  not  his  handicraft  is  still 
a  remarkable  specimen  of  the  ikon  painter's  art  in  Russia  of 
the  fourteenth   century.     These,  with  others,  are  all  on  the 
lower  tier.     On  the  tiers  above  are  usually  placed :  highest, 
the    Madonna    and    the    Infant    Jesus,    the    fathers  of    the 
church  in  pre-mosaic  days,  portraits  of  persons  mentioned  in 
Genesis;  on  the  second  stage,  the  prophets  from  Moses  to 
Jesus  Christ ;  on  the  third,  incidents  in  the  life  of  the  Saviour 
illustrative  of  church  feasts ;  on  the  fourth,  portraits  of  the 
saints    of    the  orthodox   church;    on   the   fifth,    the   sacred 
ikons. 

Other  pictures  in  the  cathedral  include  portraits  of  the 
patriarchs  and  saints;  many  frescoes  on  a  gold  ground  are 
ranged  around  the  four  pillars  that  support  the  central  cupola  ; 
and,  on  the  walls,  the  martyrdoms  of  orthodox  saints  are 
depicted.  A  bas-relief,  supposed  to  represent  St  George 
slaying  the  dragon,  has  been  identified  by  Sneguirev  as  once 
part  of  a  triumphal  arch  the  Christians  erected  in  Rome  to 
Constantine  the  Great. 

The  Sanctuary  has  a  tabernacle  of  precious  metal   (17  lbs. 
gold  and  17  lbs.  silver)  on  the  grand  altar,  which  contains  the 
Host    and   formerly  also  held  a  number  of  important  state 
188 


Moscow  of  the  Ecclesiastics 

papers  which  were  transferred  to  St  Petersburg  in  1880. 
Also  a  large  Bible  of  Natalia  Naryshkin  set  with  gems  worth 
several  thousand  pounds. 

The  Chapel  of  Sts.  Peter  and  Paul  is  before  the  most  northern 
apse,  with  the  tomb  of  St  Peter  immediately  on  the  right  when 
entering ;  just  beyond  it  is  that  of  the  metropolitan  St 
Theogn^itus;  on  the  left  are  sacred  relics:  (.)  the  -Holy 
Coat "  or  a  portion  of  the  «  tunic  "  worn  by  the  Saviour  ;  (b) 
a  nail  of  the  true  cross  ;  (0  the  right  hand  of  St  Andrew  the 
Apostle;  {d)  the  head  of  St  Gregory  the  theologian  ;  and 
r.)  the  head  of  St  John  Chrysostom.  The  shrines  were  profaned 
by  Tokhtamysh,  and  ransacked  by  the  French.  Here  in 
olden  times  the  rulers  of  the  principalities  in  vassalage 
to  Moscow  embraced  the  cross  and  swore  fealty,  and  here 
the  metropolitans  were  appointed  to  their  office.  „ 

The  ChapelofSt  Z)«i»/r/ofThessalonica, called -The  Peaceable, 
is  on  the  south  side  of  the  sanctuary.     It  contains  the  oldest 
tomb   in   Moscow,  that  of  Yuri,  brother  of  Ivan  «  Kalita 
and  it  was  in  this  Chapel  that  Yuri  Ghnski,  brother  of  Ivan 

the  Terrible's  mother,  was  slain.  a-  u.     (  c^«r,c 

The  Chapel  of  the  Firgin  Mart,  is  reached  by  a  flight  of  steps 
near  the  south  apse,  for  it  is  situated  under  the  southern 
cupola.  There  the  patriarchs  were  elected.  In  its  sanctuary 
are:  (a)  Copy  of  the  gospels,  printed  in  Moscovv  and  pre- 
sented to  the  boy-Tsars,  Ivan  and  Peter,  with  beautiful  in  tials 
and  rich  binding,  the  work  of  foreign  artisans  in  the  palace; 
(b)  an  illuminated  psalter  of  the  fifteenth  century ;  (0  an 
illuminated   MS.   of   the   gospels   by  Russian   scribes,   1664; 

(d)  a  cross  of  cypress  wood,  enclosing  a  piece  of  the  true  cross  ; 

(e)  cross  of  the  Emperor  Constantine ;  (/)  Jasper  vases  which 
were  ornamented  with  the  Latin  cross— they  were  brought  from 
Novgorod,  having  belonged  to  the  old  monastery  there,  by 
Ivan  IV. ;  (V)  a  sacramental  chalice,  which  was  presented  to 
Monomachus  by  Alexis  Cominus,  and  is  used  to  the  present 
day  for  the  Holy  Oil  with  which  the  Tsars  are  anointed  at 
their  coronation. 

The  Tombs  of  the  Patriarchs  are  ranged  along  the  western 
wall ;  that  of  Jonas  is  on  the  north-west,  and  near  the  ikonostas 
is  the  shrine  of  St  Philip,  murdered  in  Tver  by  Maluta  Skutarov 

to  please  Ivan  IV.  ,  r^      .  '^„^*^a 

The  Thrones  or  stalls  of  the  Tsar  and  Tsantsa  are  situated, 
the  first  between  the  south  column  and  the  south  wall,  the 
second  just  before  the  north  column  ;  the  large  stall  in  front  ol 
the  south  column  is  for  the  Patriarch,  and  dates  from  the  days 
of  Philaret  only.     The  canopy  in  the  south-western  corner  is 

189 


The  Story  of  Moscow 


w 


for  the  "  Holy  Coat "  sent  by  the  Shah   Abbas,  but  this  is 
usually  kept  in  the  altar  of  the  north  chapel. 

It  is  pretty  generally  known  that  the  Uspenski  Sobor  is  the 
State  Cathedral  ;  that  in  it  the  Tsars  of  Russia  must  be 
crowned  ;  there,  too,  several  have  been  married,  foreign  princes 
have  renounced  their  faith  and  accepted  the  orthodox  religion 
prior  to  marriage  with  the  Royal  princesses,  and  there  Peter 
the  Great  caused  his  son  Alexis  to  repudiate  his  right  to 
succeed  to  the  throne:  actually  it  is  the  mausoleum  of  the 
Patriarchs  and  heads  of  the  Orthodox  Church. 

There  is  nothing  in  its  architecture  that  demands 
comment,  the  external  mural  pictures  are  common 
place,  and  from  the  artistic  standpoint  the  work  that 
merits  closest  attention  and  highest  praise  is  the  open 
scroll,  bent  and  hammered  metal  on  the  lattices  of  the 
different  shrines,  and  almost  equally  good  is  much  of 
the  chiselled,  moulded  and  other  decorative  metal  work 
on  the  ikonostas.  It  is  a  typical  church,  richer  in 
precious  metal,  sacred  ikons  and  holy  relics  than  other 
churches  in  Moscow;  it  is  the  pious  wish  of  the 
guardians  of  the  other  churches  to  make  theirs  even  as 
is  this. 

Archangelski  Sobor 

The  Cathedral  of  the  Archangel  Michael  is  of  even 
plainer  appearance  than  the  Uspenski;  its  south  wall 
has  been  propped  by  a  common  buttress  which,  pierced 
for  the  lancet  windows,  gives  that  side  much  the 
appearance  of  a  fortress.  Its  history  is  similar  to  that 
of  the  other  cathedrals  ;  the  first  wooden  church  on  the 
site  was  erected  in  the  twelfth  century.  Ivan  «  Kalita  *' 
built  it  anew  as  the  place  of  sepulture  for  himself  and 
his  descendants.  Ivan  III.  demolished  that  church 
and  employed  the  Italian  Aleviso  to  construct  the 
present  edifice,  consecrated  in  1 500.  It  has  suffered 
severely  at  different  times,  especially  during  the  French 
occupation,  when  an  attempt  was  made  to  destroy  it  by 
exploding  a  large  quantity  of  spirit  the  French  brought 
190 


Moscow  of  the  Ecclesiastics 

within  for  the  purpose,  but  this  served  only  to  scatter 
the  tombs,   wreck  the   interior  and   sprmg  the  south 
wall.     The  church  contains  the  remains  of  the  princes 
and  all  the  Tsars  of  Moscow.     The  petitions  of  the 
people  laid  upon  the  tombs  of  the  Tsars  were  taken  and 
read  by  Peter  I.  himself.     Most  of  the  religious  cere- 
monies peculiar  to  this  church  relate  to  masses  for  the 
dead,  and  homage  paid  to  the  memory  of  ancestors.     It 
has  the  usual  rectangular  form,  the  four  central  columns, 
the  five  cupolas,  which  the  people  think  always  dedicated 
to  the  Saviour  and  the  four  evangelists.     The  chapel 
on  the  west  side  is  a  later  addition— the  sole  remaimng 
one  of  four,  which  existed  in  the  seventeenth  century. 
On  the  south  side  is  a  small  chamber  which  was  the 
izba,  or  Palace  of  Justice,   and  below  it  are  vaulted 
arches  which  extend  almost  the  whole  length  ot  the 
Kremlin;    the   original  paving  is   now   some    1 2   teet 
below  the  level  of  the  squares  adjoining.     Here  the 
Tsar's  gift  of  money  was  scattered  at  his  coronation. 
The  most  noteworthy  objects  in  the  church  are :  the 
ikonostas,  high,  brilliant  and  sparkling  with  gems  ;  the 
excellent  metal-work  of  the  shrines  ;  the  mural  paint- 
ings—portraits  of  the  Tsars  whose  tombs  are  below, 
and  the  richly  worked  palls  over  the  tombs. 

The  Ikonosta,  is  of  five  stages  ;  the  sacred  ikons  are  :  (f )  J^e 
Virgin   "Beneficent,"    brought  to  Moscow   by   the   Tsaritsa 
Sophia  Vitovtovna;    {b)  the  Virgin  of  Tikhvm,  the  ikon  of 
the  Tsaritsa  Maria  Nagoi,  mother  of  the  murdered  T«-r«vi<^h 
Dmitri  ;  {c)  St  Basil  the  Great,  near  the  south  wall ;  {d)  bt 

^^rX"w/of  "forty-seven  princes  of  the  line  of  Rurik  lie  upon 
the  floor :  though  not  arranged  in  chronological  order  no 
difficulty  will  be  found  in  recognising  any  one  of  them.  Uniy 
one  Emperor,  Peter  II.,  grandson  of  Peter  the  Great,  is  buried 
here  Xse  of  the  Tsar!  Michael  and  Alexis  Romanof  are  on 
the  right  hand  near  the  first  pillar,  surrounded  by  those  of  their 
sons  and  grandsons.  Near  is  the  tomb  of  the  murdered  Dm^n, 
whose  portrait  in  gold  is  hung  on  the  pillar  over  the  coffin. 

191 


fl 


J- 


The  Story  of  Moscoiv 


The  silver  candelabra  before  it  was  presented  by  the  inhabitants 
of  Uglitch  where  he  was  murdered  when  but  six  years  old.  Vasili, 
the  blind,  is  buried  near  the  ikonostas  ;  and  by  his  side  lies  Ivan 
III.,  the  maker  of  middle  Moscow  and  uniter  of  the  Russian- 
lands.    Near  the  first  pillar  on  the  left  is  the  tomb  of  Alexander, 
Tsar  of  Kazan :  near  the  second  pillar,  the  Tsarevich  Peter,  son 
of  Ibrahim,  and  grandson  of  Mamotiakov,  once  Tsar  of  Kazan. 
The  remains  of  [van  the  Terrible  are  near  the  high   altar,  a 
testimony  of  the  forgiving  temperament  of  prelates  of  the 
orthodox  church.     The  tomb  is  covered  with    a  black   pall, 
indicating   that  he  had   been  received    into  the  church  as  a 
monk  before  his  death.     Horsey  states  that  persons  passing 
his  tomb  uttered  a  prayer  that  he  might  never  rise  again  :  to 
this  day,  twice  yearly,  a  special  mass   is  celebrated  invoking 
forgiveness  for  that  "  burden  of  sins  voluntary  or  involuntary 
known  to  themselves  or  to  themselves  unknown  "  committed 
on  earth  by  those  whose  bodies  are  buried  within  the  church. 
In  a  side  chapel,  dedicated  to  the  martyred  Tsar,  are  the  re- 
mains of  Michael  Skopin  Shooiski,  the  popular  military  hero 
of  the  "  Times  of  Trouble,"  and  a   bronze  shrine  covers  the 
remains  of  Chernigof  and  his  boyard  Theodore,  martyred  by 
the  Tartars. 

The  decorations  are  mural  pictures,  dry  frescoes  of  portraits  of 
the  Tsars,  the  best  that  of  Vasili  II.  habited  as  a  monk :  also 
illustrations  of  the  Last  Judgment,  the  "  Symbol  of  Faith,"  and 
miracles  of  the  Archangel  Michael,  which  represent  Russian 
pictorial  art  of  the  seventeenth  century. 

The  sacristy  contains  some  very  beautiful  sacerdotal  robes 
presented  to  officiating  priests  on  state  occasions  ;  the  gems  on 
the  richer  sakkos  being  exceptionally  beautiful.  There  is  also 
an  ornate  copy  of  the  gospels  brought  from  Novgorod  in  1 125  ; 
it  has  picturesque  portraitsof  the  evangelists,  and  characteristic 
illuminated  initials ;  the  golden  filigree  work  on  the  cover  is 
excellent.  A  psalter  of  1594  has  elegant  marginal  decorations. 
There  were  also  rich  crosses  of  gold  and  silver — the  one  that 
belonged  to  Ivan  IV.  with  large  pearls,  best  worth  examination 
— reliquaries,  and  a  curious  gold  chalice  some  7  lbs.  weight. 
Many  will  be  more  interested  in  the  fine  needle  and  jewelry 
work  on  the  elaborated  palls  of  which  the  church  has  a  great 
many  exquisite  specimens. 

The  relics  are  not  numerous :  those  which  formally  belonged 
to  the  Tsar  Alexis  are  within  a  reliquary  of  the  cross  above 
mentioned :  and  a  drop  of  the  blood  of  John  the  Baptist  is 
shown  under  a  crystal  in  one  of  the  ikons. 

192 


Moscow  of  the  Ecclesiastics 

Blagovieshchenski  Sobor 

The  Cathedral  of  the  Annunciation  is  of  a  more 
elaborate  and  picturesque  style  than  either  the  Uspenski 
or  the  Archangelski,  which,  in  part,  may  be  attributed 


h    <^iii^-i^   lit;; 


BLAGOVIESHCHENSKI    SOBOR 

to  the  fact  that  it  is  more  intimately  connected  with  the 
Royal  Palaces  than  they  are.  Reached  directly  by  the 
palace  terrace,  it  is  the  complement  of  the  Krasnoe 
Kriltso,  and  was  used  for  the  baptism  of  the  royal 
children,  the  confessions  of  the  Tsars,  and  religious 
ceremonies  of  a  semi-state  character.     Its  earlier  de- 


N 


193 


II' 

il 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

signations  were,  among  others,   the   "Church  of  the 
Grand-Ducal  Court,"  "Church  of  the  Tsarian  Vesti- 
bule," and  "  Church  of  the  Tsarian  Treasury,"  which 
clearly  indicate  the  court  uses  for  which  it  has  been 
employed.     It  has  nine  cupolas ;  the  roof  of  pointed 
vaults  rising  tier  above  tier  is   most  characteristic   of 
Muscovite  architecture,  and  the  entrance  is  by  a  flight 
of  steps  communicating  with  a  covered  gallery  which 
surrounds  the  church,  see  page  1 78.     Its  early  history 
is  that  of  the  others ;  first,  a  wooden  church  erected 
by  Andrew  in   1291,  rebuilt  in    1397;  in    14O9  the 
walls   decorated    with   pictures  by    Rublev ;    in    part 
demolished  by  Ivan   III.,  who  built  again  from  the 
first  floor  up,  and,  completed  in  1482,  painted  during 
the  reign  of  Vasili  Ivanovich ;    damaged  by  the  fire 
of  1547   Ivan  IV.  restored  it,  and  furnished  cupolas 
covered  with  the  gold  he  seized  at  Novgorod.     The 
Poles  in  16 10  and  the  French  in  181 2  both  spoiled  it, 
but  the  last  only  partially,  the  fact  that  most  of  its 
treasures  had  been  taken  away  to  Vologda  probably 
misleading  them  so  that  they  did  not  make  a  thorough 
search  for  the  valuables  left  within.     During  its  recent 
restoration  the  architea  found  that  earlier  decorations 
existed  beneath  the  outer  coverings  of  plaster  and  paint ; 
they  were  carefully  uncovered  and  remain  exposed. 

The  entrance  is  by  the  northern  porch  within  the 
railed-ofF  Sobomia  Ploshchad ;  among  the  first  mural 
paintings  on  the  right  are  portraits  of  the  ancient 
philosophers,  Aristotle,  Plato,  Ptolemy,  Socrates, 
Thucydides,  Zeno,  and  others,  with  lengthy  quotations 
from  their  writings  on  tablets  they  support;  beyond, 
representations  of  the  Saviour  and  the  apostles,  these 
pictures  dating  from  1771,  the  year  of  the  great 
plague.  The  side  posts  of  the  doorways,  richly 
carved,  are  of  early  sixteenth  century  native  work — and 
some  of  the  best  specimens  now  extant.  The  interior 
194 


Moscow  of  the  Ecclesiastics 

of  the  church  is  small,  and  looks  even  smaller  than  it 
really  is  owing  to  an  elevated  tribune,  or  gallery,  against 
the  west  wall,  which  served  for  members  of  the  Tsar's 
family  to  participate  in  the  services  without  being  exposed 
to  public  view,  the  Tsar  himself  being  on  the  ground 
floor,  opposite  the  ikonostas.     The  parquet  is  of  Jasper 
mosaic,  a  present  from  the  Shah  to  Alexis.     Concem- 
mg  it,  an  enthusiastic,  travelled  native  author  remarks : 
"  It  is  a  facsimile  of  a  mosaic  in  St  Mark's,  Venice ; 
the  only  difference  being  that  whereas  the  floor  of  St 
Mark's  is  uneven,  to  represent  the  ripples  of  the  sea 
and  symbolise  that  Venice  rules  on  the  foaming  waves, 
this  is  quite  regular  and  uniform,  emblematic  of  the 
vast  steppes  of  which  Moscow  is  the  sovereign."  * 

Even  more  interesting  are  the  old  mural  paintings, 
pre-Raphxlite  in  point  of  time  and  in  the  argot  of  the 
studio  "more  than  pre-Raphaelite "  in  style.  The 
subjects  are  biblical :  the  adventures  of  Jonah ;  the 
mysterious  visions  recorded  in  the  Apocalypse;  the 
punishment  of  the  damned  ;  the  glories  of  Paradise, 
with  much  else  that  is  curious.  They  are  already  the 
joy  of  a  "school"  and  the  admiration  of  Russian 
antiquaries.  Though  crude,  unreal,  and  not  a  little 
absurd  now,  in  the  long  ago,  among  the  uncultured 
people  to  whom  they  were  first  presented,  they  cannot 
have  failed  to  impress  beholders  powerfully,  notwith- 
standing that  their  influence  upon  the  art  of  the  time 
was  infinitesimal. 

The  columns  are  square,  from  them  hang  the  chains  and 
jewelled  crosses  worn  by  former  princes.  The  ikonostas  is  of 
five  suges,  separated  by  rails  of  brass  and  bronze  columns— 

♦  This  church  has  the  further  distinction  of  being  the  first 
supplied  with  a  public  clock,  which  was  placed  there  by 
Lazarus  Serbin,  in  the  seventeenth  century.  About  the  south 
porch  the  last  public  discussions  were  held  with  dissenters  led 
by  the  able  Pafnuty. 

•95 


The  Story  of  Moscow 


the  precious  metals  with  which  it  was  formerly  covered  were 
looted  by  the  French.  The  more  remarkable  ikons  are  (a) 
one  of  the  Saviour's  agony— a  typical  specimen  of  Byzantine 
work  in  the  fourteenth  century  ;  {b)  the  richly  decorated  Holy 
Mother  of  God,  known  as  the  Donski  Virgin,  because  earned 
by  Dmitri  at  Kulikovo;  the  ikon  only  was  saved,  in  1812, 
the  frame  was  mistaken  by  the  French  for  copper  and  has 
been  repaired ;  the  ornaments  are  modern,  except  the  eighteen 
portraits  of  saints  on  the  margin,  which  are  foreign. 

Near  the  altar  are  the  two  crosses  of  Korsun.  There  are 
four  chapels  on  the  higher  storey  ;  they  are  quite  independent 
of  the  church  with  separate  entrances  from  the  gallery.  That 
dedicated  to  St  George  is  quite  modern,  but  that  of  the 
Virgin  has  one  of  the  most  primitive  rood-screens  to  be  found 
in  Moscow ;  on  it  the  ikons  are  set  round  with  great  flat 
bands  of  silver;  like  that  of  the  Saviour,  and  that  of  the 
archangel  Gabriel,  it  quite  escaped  piUage  in  1812.  The 
sacristy— in  a  small  building  on  the  south  side— is  peculiarly 
rich  in  relics,  a  complete  collection  of  sacred  remains  brought 
from  Constantinople  in  1328.  It  includes  bones  of  different 
saints— contained  in  thirty-two  silver  and  gilt  caskets;  a 
reliquary  with  the  sponge  used  at  the  Crucifixion  of  Christ ; 
a  portion  of  the  rod  with  which  He  was  beaten  ;  some  drops 
of  His  blood;  spikes  from  the  crown  of  thorns;  an  eight 
pointed  cross,  of  the  wood  of  the  "  true  cross,"  and  a  fragment 
of  the  stone  that  was  rolled  away  from  before  the  Saviour  s 
tomb.  To  them  must  be  added  a  great  number  of  Russian 
Tsarian  and  ecclesiastical  antiquities  collected  in  Russia. 

Spass  na  Boru 

The  church  of  the  Transfiguration,  known  colloqui- 
ally as  Spass  na  Boru,  St  Saviour's  in  the  Forest,  is 
supposed  to  be  on  the  site  of  the  first  building  ever 
raised  on  the  Kremlin  hill— that  of  the  skeet  of  the 
hermit  who  inhabited  it  prior  to  the  tenth  century. 
The  first  stone  church  there  dates  from  1 330  ;  restored 
in  1380,  and  rebuilt  in  1527,  and  again  restored  in 
,529,  1554,  1737,  and  1856.  Still  much  of  its 
architectural  primitiveness  has  been  preserved,  but  it  is 
typical  of  a  church  with  monastery  attached,  as  once 
the  case   (see  page  29).     There  are  now  no  external 

196 


Moscow  of  the  Ecclesiastics 

mural  paintings,  but  those  inside  are  curious  ;  the  small, 
low  belfry  is  very  quaint  and  the  bells  now  hung  there 
are    old    foreign    bells— among    the    first    brought    to 
Moscow.     The  central  chapel,  that  of  the  Transfigura- 
tion, is  the  oldest,  the  «  Royal  Doors  "  are  of  primitive 
type.      Its  sacristy  is  poor  :  the  relics  are  those  ot  bt 
Stephen  the  apostle  to  the  Permians,  and  some  frag- 
ments of  bones  and  vestments  found  during  the  altera- 
tions in  the  present  century.     It  is  best  seen  in  tne  early 
morning,  a   service   is  held  daily,  and  the  church  is 
much  visited  by  those  about  to  marry,  for,  according  to 
tradition,  Sts  Yuri,  Samon  and  Aviva,  to  whom  its  side 
chapels  are  dedicated,  are  patrons  of  those  whose  love 
affairs  do  not  run  smooth.     On  the  higher  storey  is 
the  chapel  of  St  Stephen  the  Permian. 

PaTRIARSHIA    RlZNITSA 

The  Church  of  the  Twelve  Apostles  and  Sacristy 
of  the  Patriarchs  is  on  the  site  of  a  fifteenth  century 
church  on  the  north  side  of  the  Uspenski  Sobor.      It 
was  built  by  Nikon  and  is  still  used  in  connection  with 
the  synod.      It  is  on  the  second  storey,  and  above  it 
is  the  Chapel  of  St  Philip— the  private  chapel  of  the 
Patriarchs  after  Nikon.     In  the  rooms  adjoimng  are 
kept  the  Holy  vessels,  most  valuable  church  plate,  and 
relics  of  the  patriarchs  and  the  Church.     Many  are 
contained  in  the  cases  arranged  round  the  walls,  the 
others  may  be  inspected  on  application  to  one  ot  the 
attendants— who  will  expect  adin  rubl  na  cham—OT  to 
those  much  interested  will  be  shown  by  the  Sacristan, 
who  will  explain  their  use  and  relate  their  history.      A 
complete  catalogue  may  be  had,  but  the  best  account  is 
that  of  the  learned  antiquarian,  Sabas,  Bishop  of  Mojaisk, 
whose  book  is  known  to  all  interested  in  the  lore  of  the 
Eastern  Church  ;  a  French  translation  of  it  has  been 

197 


\ 


The  Story  of  Moscow 


it 


published  in  which  the  author's  name  is  spelled  "  Savva 
Among  the  more  interesting  articles  of  art  workmanship 
are  the  panagies  or  jewelled  crosses  worn  by  the 
Patriarchs  and  others  after  consecration  to  their  high 
office. 

«  Among  the  objects  of  greatest  antiquity  are  the  sacerdotal 
robes  of  the  high  clergy.     They  are  in  the  case  near  the  altar ; 
the  *  Omophorium  of  the  sixth  CEcumenical  Council '  of  the 
catalogue,  is  said  to  have  belonged  to  St  Nicholas  the  wonder- 
worker, Archbishop  of  Mirliki,  and  worn    by  that  saint^t 
the  Council  at  Nice;   Sabas  thinks  that  it  was  presented  to 
Alexis  by  Gregory  of  Nicea  who  visited  Moscow  in  1655,  with 
letters  from  the  Patriarchs  of  Jerusalem  and  Constantinople 
testifying  to  its  genuineness.     It  belonged  to  the  Patriarch  of 
Alexandria,  who  was  present  at  the  Assembly  of  the  Three 
Hundred  and  Eighteen  Fathers  of  the  Church,  and,  latterlv, 
opinion  inclines  to  its  having  originated  with  him.     Equally 
ancient  is  a  mitre,  easily   recognised   from    other   'crowns' 
in  the  case  by  its  pointed  shape,  similar  to  those  of  ancient 
Byzantium.      It  was   presented   to  the  Tsar  Theodore;   the 
donor,  Miletius  Piga,  of  Alexandria,  wrote  that,  apart  from 
the  gems  with  which  it  is  adorned  and  the  rich  material,  its 
age  and  reputation,  it  is  to  be  esteemed  above  its  intrinsic  value 
because  taken  to  the  Council  at  Ephesus  by  Cyril,  in  431. 
The  mitre  of  the  Patriarch  Job,  1595,  differs  from  those  of  later 
date  by  reason  of  its  very  flat  top — the  shape  of  a  klobook,  hat, 
or  ancient  crown — rather  than  a  mitre.     The  mitres  ranged 
with  it  were  constructed  by  the  directions  of  Nikon,  and  equal 
in  richness  and  other  details  the  royal  crowns. 

"  Of  croziers  and  their  equivalents  there  are  many  specimens, 
the  most  venerated,  however,  is  that  of  St  Peter,  by  the  altar 
on  the  Uspenski  Sohor,— the  staff"  that  passed  from  pontiff*  to 
pontiff"  through  the  centuries.  There  are  three  of  the  five  in 
the  sacristy  of  tau  shape  and  beautiful,  they  belonged  to 
Philaret;  the  others  to  Nikon.  The  processional  cross  of 
Nikon  has  but  four  points.  Of  copes  there  are  forty-one ;  the 
oldest  is  that  of  Peter,  the  Metropolitan  (\  322),  used  afterwards 
at  the  consecration  of  the  Patriarchs.  The  panagla  or  pyx  worn 
by  a  bishop,  or  higher  prelate,  is  often  an  exquisite  piece  of 
jewelry.  That  catalogued  as  No.  4  is  of  onyx,  with  a  super- 
posed  layer  having  the  crucifixion  in  relievo  \  on  the  reverse,  a 
Greek  cross,  the  Emperor  Constantine  and  Helena,  his  mother. 
It  belonged  to  the  Patriarch  Job  and  has  a  most  beautiful  setting 

198 


Moscow  of  the  Ecclesiastics 

of  Russian  enamel  and  nieUo  work  of  the  sixteenth  century 
No    11  is  also  of  onyx,  with  ruby  and  pearl  decoration,  it 
appertained  to  Peter.     No.  3.  i»  a  sardonyx  of  elaborate  work- 
manship  and  unusual  size;    it  has  a  reliquary  containing  a 
r^gme^  of  the  robe  of  royal  purple  with  which  the  Saviour 
wa!  mockingly  invested,  and  is  believed  to  have  been  Produced 
to  the  order  of  Ivan  IV.  to  commemorate  ^^e  birth  of  Dmitri 
No.  25  contains  an  emerald  of  purest  water,  ^hree-fif  hs  of  an 
h^ch  in  diameter.     In  another  is  also  a  fine  emerald  which 
weighs  38  carats.     There  are  in  addition  jewels,  rings,  seal, 
rupfgoblets,  crosses,  and  other  trinkets  of  the  fathers  o    the 
Russ  a^n  Chu;ch,  and  amongst  them  an  object  known  as  th 
.  Antik,'  which  has  puzzled  the  learned.    It  is  a  shell  of  mother- 
of-pearl,  shaped  like  a  woman's  breast,  and  on  this  in  fine  gold 
bea'utiflily  e'namelled,  the  Gorgon's  head,  the  fanged  heads  of 
the  serpent-locks  intertwined  and  biting  each  other.     It  is  on 
a  baL^f  rock-crystal,  gold  encrusted,  and  the  medallions 
enamdled  with  representations  of  different  building8--it  has 
fieuT^  in  the  inventory  since  1648,  when  it  had  a  double  case 
of  daVk  green  velvet.     The  fine  collection  of  church  plate  is 
principally  of  the  seventeenth  century  and  later. 
^  » In  the  adjoining  Mirovarennaya  Palata,  the  Holy  Chnsm  is 
prepared  eve^ry  other  year,   in  strict  conformance  with  the 
orTgCal  instruction.     It  is,  when  prepared,  taken  m  sixt^n 
silver  phials  to  the  Uspenski  Sobor  and  then  at  a  special  service 
dtfn/L^nt  (usuaUy  Holy  Thursday)  consecmted  by  the  Metro- 
Xn^nd  furtheJhallowed  by  the  addition  of  a  few  drops  of 
the  oil  rom  the  vessel  of  '  Alabaster '  in  which  the  Holy  Chnsm 
was  first  brought  into  Russia  from  Constantinople  the  ve.se 

having  never  been  emptied,  since  the  ^^^loVof  that  newW 
purpose  is  immediately  replaced  by  the  addition  of  that  newly 
made      The  'Alabaster'  is  a  long-necked  flask   of   copper 
wholly  covered  with  scales  of  mother-of-pearl  and  is  supposed 
To  be  of  the  same  size  and  form  as  that  box  of  ointment  Mary 

^''^Tt'ubra"^^^^^^^^  contains  about  one  thousand 

Slavic  MSS.  on  Church  rites  and  copies  of  the  scriptures,  many 
between  the  seventh  and  twelfth  centuries,  and  five  hundred 
GreTkMSS.  of  even  earlier  date.  They  were  got  together 
bv  the  patriarch  Nikon  for  the  purpose  of  comparison,  and 
restoring  the  ritual  of  the  Russian  Church  to  its  original,  or 
n  least  earlier  rule.  The  printed  books  have  mostly  been 
:  moved  ro  o  hW  coUections,'and  the  MSS  are  of  interest  ody 
o^hose  well  acquainted  with  the  rites  of  the  early  Christian 
Church,  and  such  students  are  readily  granted  access  to  them. 


'The  Story  of  Moscow 

Such  a  brief  account  does  scant  justice  to  one  of  the 
finest  and  most  complete  collections  of  ecclesiastical 
furniture  the  world  has  produced ;  but,  interesting  as 
some  of  the  objects  are  to  all  beholders,  it  is  to  the 
student  of  ecclesiasticism  that  they  will  appeal  with 
greatest  force.  To  him  also,  the  technique  of  ritual  ; 
the  customs  appertaining  to  the  dispersion  of  relics 
among  newly-built  churches  and  restoration  of  those 
injured  by  time  and  accident ;  together  with  many  other 
matters  of  Church  rule  and  procedure  which  find  illus- 
tration in  this  collection,  should  prove  both  attractive 
and  instructive.  Of  greater  general  interest  is  the  story 
of  the  struggle  between  orthodoxy  and  heterodoxy,  the 
rise  of  heresy  and  states  of  different  forms  of  dissent ; 
that  dramatic  movement  of  ecclesiasticism  which  is 
world  wide,  continuous,  and  of  perennial  concern  to  all. 

Whatever  heresies  may  have  existed  in  early  Russia, 
with  the  ascendancy  of  Moscow  these  perished,  and  the 
prelates  had  only  to  guard  against  the  wiles  of  Rome 
and  to  stay  its  power  on  the  confines  of  the  kingdom. 
During  the  reign  of  Vasili  the  Blind  the  unsuccessful 
attempt  of  the  Metropolitan  Isidor  to  introduce  Romish 
practices  intensified  the  conservatism  of  the  prelates. 
In  1582,  Anthony  Possevin,  a  Jesuit  emissary  of 
the  Pope,  Gregory  XIII.,  had  long  discussions  with 
Ivan  the  Terrible  in  the  Granovitaia  Palata  respecting 
the  union  of  the  Churches.  Ivan  was  outspoken:  the 
emissary  returned  unsatisfied. 

The  false  Dmitri's  view  has  already  been  given  :  he 
was  overthrown  and  the  supremacy  of  the  orthodox 
prelates  increased  by  Boris  Godunov's  initiation  of  the 
Patriarchate.  The  Tsar  Michael  and  his  father  Philaret 
appear  to  have  been  always  in  accord,  and  then  the  tem- 
poral power  of  the  prelates  was  equal  to  that  of  the 
sovereign.  Alexis,  a  boy  of  seventeen,  was  unfortunate 
in  having  as  collaborator  the  sturdy  Nikon.     After  his 

200 


Moscow  of  the  Ecclesiastics 

absence  in  the  war  against  the  Poles  he  found  Nikon, 
as  Veliki  Gossudar,  a  title  reserved  for  the  Tsars,  ab- 
solutely autocratic.     The  Tsar  objected  to  the  use  of 
the  title  by  the  Patriarch  ;  Nikon  resigned  his  othce, 
and    retired  to    the  Vosskresenki    Monastery    on   the 
Varvarka,  expecting  Alexis  would  seek  him,  but  the 
Tsar  did  not  visit  him  nor  did  he  appoint  another 
patriarch.     Nikon  had  already  given  great  offence  to 
the  clergy  for,  attracted  by  some  text  on  one  ot  the 
ecclesiastical   vestments  that  had   been  received  from 
Greece,  he  recognised  a  considerable  difference  between 
the  Greek  rendering  and  that  current  in  Slavonic  ;  pro- 
secuting his  investigations  further  he  found  many  dis- 
crepancies and  tried  in  all  things  to  revert  to  the  older 
practice.     His  action  was  construed  as  the  introduc- 
tion of  new  procedure— and  consequently    vigorously 
opposed— and  orthodoxy  split  into  two  camps ;  those 
who  agreed  with  the  head  of  the  Church  that  the  ancient 
practice  was  correct  and  should  be  introduced  and  the 
more  conservative  who  would  not  depart  from  that  to 
which  they  had  been  accustomed,  and  it  is  they  who  are 
known  as  the  "  Old  Believers,"  for  the  alterations  pro- 
posed by  Nikon  ultimately  became  general.     Although 
the  Patriarch  had  resigned  he  continued  to  receive  the 
clergy  and  concern  himself  with  the  direction  of  ecclesi- 
astical affairs.     In  1654  he  angered  the  people  by  going 
into  private  chapels  and  houses  and  removing  all  copies 
of  the  ikon  Nerukotvorenni,  "  not  made  with  hands, 
because  unlike  the  ikons  of  Mount  Athos.     The  priest 
visited  Moscow,  and  the  people  paraded  the  empty  ikon 
cases  and  the  defaced  ikons,  attributing  to  this  outrage 
the  plague  from  which  so  many  suffered,  and  the  clergy 
then  left  Moscow  in  large  numbers  fearing  assault.     In 
1659  the  Tsar's  emissaries  informed  him  that  he  ought 
no  longer  to  interfere.     He  thereupon  withdrew  from 
Moscow.    In  Advent  1 664  he  suddenly  reappeared  with 

201 


The  Story  of  Moscoiv 

many  monks  at  early  matins  in  the  Uspenski  Cathedral, 
peremptorily  ordered  the  officiating  clergy  to  perform 
certain  offices.  The  clergy  at  once  apprised  the  Tsar, 
who  in  turn  ordered  his  boyards  to  command  Nikon 
to  leave  the  Cathedral.  Nikon  pleaded  that  he  had 
been  instructed  by  Jonas  in  a  vision  to  act  as  he  had 
done,  but  the  Tsar  only  repeated  the  command  ;  he 
stated  then  that  he  had  power  to  heal  the  sick,  but  the 
Tsar  was  inflexible  and  Nikon  retired.  At  a  council 
in  1666  he  was  formally  deposed,  and  withdrew  to  a 
distant  monastery  where  he  continued  his  researches ; 
he  was  pardoned  by  the  Tsar  Theodore  in  1681  but 
died  whilst  on  his  journey  to  meet  his  sovereign. 

Joachim,  the  succeeding  Patriarch,  opposed  Nikon's 
innovations,  and  held  tenaciously  to  the  customary 
practice  and  attempted  to  stifle  schism  by  persecuting 
relentlessly.  He  forbade  Catholics  to  worship,  banished 
Jesuits,  barely  tolerated  Calvinists  and  Lutherans,  and 
burned  to  death  Kullman  the  German  mystic  for  pro- 
claiming false  doctrines.  When  he  died  in  1690  he 
besought  Peter  to  drive  all  heretics  and  unbelievers 
from  Russia — it  is  to  him  that  Peter  erected  the  chapel 
on  the  Srietenka.  As  in  1682  and  earlier,  the  "old 
believers  "  had  been  cruelly  tortured  for  not  conforming 
to  the  innovations  of  Nikon,  more  especially  the  unfor- 
tunate and  obstinate  Boyarina  Morozov  and  her  sister 
Princess  Urusov,  so  with  the  change  of  the  head  of  the 
Church  the  people  were  condemned  for  such  acts  as 
they  had  previously  been  commended  for  performing, 
and  now  knew  not  whom  to  believe.  With  the 
accession  of  Peter  to  sole  power,  and  the  enforcement 
by  him  of  practices  foreign  to  former  habit,  the  people 
associated  all  his  innovations  with  those  purely  clerical 
ones  which  had  recently  met  with  opposition  and 
caused  persecution  and  suffering.  It  was  impossible  to 
stamp  out  opposition,  exile  but  spread  the  discontent. 

202 


Moscow  of  the  Ecclesiastics 

When  Peter  quarrelled  with   the  Church,  the  clergy 
were  unable  to  cope  with  the  popular  reaction  agamst 
the  innovations  of  Nikon  and  his  disciples.     Peter  was 
at  last  induced  to  persecute  the  noncontents,  but  these, 
disgusted  with  his  secular  innovations,  fled  mto  distant 
parts  of  the  country  and  even  abroad,  where  for  long 
they  were  politically  an   element  of  grave  danger  to 
the  state,  but,  the  rule  of  Nikon  was  established  and 
the  old  believers  regarded  as  Raskolniki,  or  dissenters. 
These,  under  persecution,  and  lacking  adequate  direc- 
tion again  split  into  two  sections ;  one,  the  popovtsi,  or 
those  who  acknowledge  the  priesthood  and  depend  tor 
their  clergy  upon  schismatics  from  among  the  orthodox, 
who  after  ordination,  find  their  practice  preferable. 

They  are  quite  insignificant  in  comparison  with  the 
Bezpopovtsi,    or   those   who   do   not    have    ordamed 
priests,  but  are  more  powerful  because  united,  whereas 
the  bezpopovtsi  number  as  many  different  brotherh^s 
as  there  are  distinct  dissenting  sects  in  England.      i  he 
best  known  among  these  are  the  Dukhobortst,  who  deny 
the  divinity  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  strongly  oppose  civil 
authority,  refuse  to  pray  for  their  sovereign  or  the  head 
of  the  orthodox  church,  and  consider  death  by  starva- 
tion or  fire,  so  long   as  it  is  self-wrought,  to  be  the 
highest  duty.     Nearly  akin  to  them  are  the  terrible 
Skoptsl    or    mutilators,    and    the    fanatic    Khlystt,    or 
Flagellants,    and    many    others.     To    the    orthodox 
church  all  who  are  not  slavopravm  are  alike.       1  he 
civil  government  has  always  discriminated  between  the 
harmless  and  those  whose   tenets   are   opposed  to  the 
welfare  of  the  individual  and  to  the  commonwealth. 

The  orthodox  regard  the  discussion  as  terminated : 
the  Tsaritsa  Sophia  herself  was  present  in  the  Grano- 
vitaia  Palace,  at  the  discussions  of  the  Patriarch  with 
the  chief  of  the  Ras  Kolniks,  a  fanatic  Nikita.  There 
were   stormy  scenes  ;   at  the  close  each  sect  claimed 

203 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

to  have  the  right,  and  for  long  afterwards  there  were 
frequent  discussions  between  the  supporters  of  both 
parties,  around  the  porch  of  the  Blagovieshchenski 
Sobor. 

Of  the  churches  of  the  orthodox,  the  number  in 


CHURCH    AND   GATE   OF    MARV    OF    VLADIMIR 

Moscow  is  indeed  great ;  add  to  these  the  cathedrals, 
the  new  Xram,  chapels,  monasteries  and  convents, 
and  the  claim  of  Moscow  to  its  title  of  City  of  Churches 
will  not  be  questioned.  It  is  quite  impossible  even  to 
enumerate  those  worth  seeing.  Instead  take  a  typical 
street,  say  the  Nikolskaya  in  the  busiest  part  of  the 

204 


Moscow  of  the  Ecclesiastics 

commercial  Kitai-Gorod.     It  contains  the  Monastery 
of    the     Images,    Za-ikono-spassky    Monastyr— once, 
1679,  an  academy  ;  Church  of  the  Virgin  of  Kazan, 
interesting  as  founded  in  1630  by  Prince  Pojarski ;  the 
Nikolsevski  Monastyr,  Greek,  founded  m  1556,  and  m 
1669,  with  two  churches  ;  opposite  it  the  old  Monastery 
of  the  Epiphany,  Bogoyavlenni,  founded  in  1396,  with 
a  church  to  Boris  and  Gleb  and  several  others  of  lesser 
note— a  large  establishment  with  an  extensive  cemetery 
but  the  buildings  of  course  modern.     The  Synodalia 
Typografiia  ;  the  printing  house  of  the  Synod,  founded 
in   1645,  the  facade  always  painted  a  light  blue,  with 
the  lion  and    unicorn,   and    other    Byzantine   decora- 
tions, in  white.      Then    near  the  Vladimirski  Vorot, 
the  church  to  the  Virgin,  dating  from  the  time  of  the 
boy-Tsars,  Ivan  and  Peter,  and  opposite  the  second 
largest  monastery,  and  most  often  used  church  in  the 
Kitai  gorod,  that  of  the  Trinity.     In  all  eleven  churches 
or    chapels  within  less  than   200  yards— and  that  is 
characteristic  of  Moscow.     Among  other  tserkvi  well 
worth  seeing  are: — 

Kitai-Gorod.  IntheVarvarka:  St  Barb,  St  George  the  Martyr, 
St  Maxim  the  Confessor,  and  the  Monastery  of  the  Resurrec- 
tion  In  the  Ilyinka:  St  Nicholas  of  the  Great  Cross,  St 
Elias  Also  the  Holy  Trinity  in  the  Cherkassky,  St  Anne  in 
the  Zariadi,  and  of  the  Virgin  of  Georgia,  but  St  Ipatius  is  in 
the  Ipatievski,  and  St  Nicholas  near  the  Moskvretski  Bridge 

Biclo-GoroJ.  The  Srietenka,  built  by  John  Taylor;  All 
Saints,  the  Transfiguration,  and  the  Manifestation. 


205 


w 


CHAPTER  X 
Moscow  of  the  Citizens 

"  Fair  Moscow  crowned  :  now  towering  high 
And,  seated  on  her  throne  of  hills, 
A  glorious  pile  from  days  gone  by." 

Dmitriev. 

pETER  «  THE  GREAT  "  who  is  credited  with 
having  created  the  history  of  Russia  did  little  for 
Moscow,  a  town  he,  after  his  travels  abroad,  always 
despised  and  constantly  distrusted.  He  evicted  the  last 
private  owners  from  the  Kremlin,  and  spoiled  its  palaces 
and  treasures,  but  took  no  measures  to  enhance  its  beauty 
or  increase  its  wealth.  It  is  customary  to  date  progress 
and  civilisation  from  his  reign ;  an  anonymous  Russian 
poet  has  even  written  : 

"  Russia  and  Russia's  strength  lay  hid  in  dreary  night ; 
God  said  'Let  Peter  be' — straightway  they  burst  to  light," 

but,  so  far  as  Moscow  is  concerned,  his  coming  would 
be  more  truthfully  regarded  as  of  the  nature  of  an 
ecHpse  than  as  the  harbinger  of  light.  Probably  his 
reputation  is  due  to  the  prominence  of  his  person  in 
western  Europe — where  it  is  customary  to  mistake 
renown  for  greatness — rather  than  his  achievements. 

Peter  forsook  Moscow,  left  her  to  the  Church,  which 
he  served  badly — and  to  her  citizens,  whom  he  treated 
even  worse.  Benevolence  was  foreign  to  his  character  ; 
he  could  not  mould  Moscow  to  his  ideal — if  a  passing 
whim  can  be  so  termed — but  before  he  realised  his 
206 


Moscow  of  the  Citi%ens 

impotence  in  this,  he  became  brutal  and  fierce.  He 
quarrelled  with  the  Church,  cruelly  ill  used  his  wife— 
whom  he  forsook  eventually,  shamefully  treated  his 
blood-relations — even  torturing  his  half-sisters  him- 
self, and  was  to  his  subjects  such  a  father  as  he 
proved  to  his  own  unfortunate  son  Alexis,  who  was 
done  to  death  at  his  hands  ;  in  all  these  things  behaving 
so  savagely  that  even  the  strongest  were  awed  into 
hypocrisy.  The  citizens  of  Moscow  considered  them- 
selves the  children  of  the  Father  of  the  people— the 
Tsar  who  lived  in  the  Kremlin — who  cared  for 
them  and  never  ceased  to  be  anxious  for  their  welfare. 
He  alone  was  responsible  for  their  direction,  with 
him  was  the  Church,  they  knew  not  how  to  act  in- 
dependently. The  streltsi,  the  fighting  men,  the 
armed  citizens,  were  first  of  the  Moscow  townsmen  to 
act  of  their  own  initiative,  but  they  were  disciplined 
men  who  trusted  their  leaders — even  when  betrayed. 

Peter  exterminated  the  streltsi,  the  men  who  first  of 
all  his  subjects  had  supported  his  claims  and  protected 
his  rights;  it  is  in  connection  with  the  streltsi  that 
Peter  is  most  enduringly  associated  with  Moscow. 
The  scenes  of  that  long  struggle  were,  for  the  most 
part,  enacted  outside  the  Kremlin  ;  in  the  Kitai-Gorod 
of  the  merchants,  in  the  Bielo-Gorod  of  the  free- 
men, in  the  sloboda  of  the  foreign  settlers,  and  the 
Preobrajenski  quarter  where  Peter  was  reared.  It  is 
this  Moscow  that  has  suffered  most  from  the  invader 
and  from  fire;  its  memorials  of  antiquity  are  few, 
those  appertaining  to  Peter  the  Great  and  his  time 
may  be  counted  on  the  fingers  of  one  mutilated  hand. 
The  most  conspicuous  marks  are  those  of  the  Church. 
Continuing  by  that  route  indicated  in  the  last  chapter, 
'  on  issuing  by  the  Valdimirski  Gate  from  the  Kitai- 
Gorod,  the  road  north  is  the  Big  Lubianka,  running 
along  the  crest  of  the  hill  towards  the  old  village  of 

207 


L^l 


I 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

Kuchko,  long  since  incorporated  with  the  town  ;  on 
the  right  hand  is  the  palace  of  that  Count  Rostopchin 
who  ordered  the  destruction  of  Moscow  in  1812;  on 
the   left  at  the  corner  of  the  Kuznetski  Most  is  the 


SBIETENKA — SOKHAREV    BASHNIA 

old  church,  set  apart  from  time  immemorial  for  the 
benediction  of  fruit.  As  an  old  writer  states,  "the 
Mahommedans  would  as  soon  eat  pork  as  a  Russian 
unconsecrated  apples."  Further  on,  also  on  the 
left  is  the  old  monastery  of  the  Srietenka  (Meeting), 
founded  by  Vasili  Dmitrivich  in  gratitude  of  the 
deliverance  of  Moscow  threatened  by  the  Tartars 
under  Tamerlane  in   1397;  rebuilt  by  Theodore  II. 

208 


ff 


Moscow  of  the  Citizens 

and   containing   a    chapel  to  the   Patriarch  Joachim, 
constructed  by  Peter  I.  in    1706.     It  has  two  other 
old  churches,  one  dedicated  to  St  Nicholas,  and  the 
other  to  the  Egyptian  Virgin  Mary,  neither  of  particular 
interest.     This  is  a  part  of  Moscow  longest  inhabited 
by    the    peasant    class,    and    continuing    on    past    the 
boulevard,  which  marks  the  old  wall  of  the  Bielo- 
Gorod,  the  Srietenka  traverses  the  Zemliana  Gorod, 
or  earthen  town,  until  the  Sadovia  is  reached,  where 
was  once  the  by  no  means  formidable  rampart  ot  the 
outer  wall ;  beyond  this  the  Miaschanska  continues  the 
road   to  the   Kammer   College   earth  rampart  at  the 
Krestovski-Zastava.     Beyond  that    is    the    highway 
to  Ostankina,  the  Marina  Roshcha,  and  the  vil  age  of 
Mordva.     The  eighteenth  church  passed  after  leaving 
the  Grand  Square  is  dedicated  to  the  Tnnity  and  is 
remarkable  for  a  number  of  small  shops  within  its  walls, 
the  windows  but  a  couple  of  feet  high  and  the  ceiling 
so   near   the   pavement   that  buyers   have   to  stoop  or 
kneel  to  bargain.     An  old  order  forbids  that  shops  be 
within  a  church,  and  a  more  recent  one,  any  without 
it.     These  being  neither  within  nor  without  continue 
unmolested.     In  this  district  the  Streltsi  were  living 
at  the   close  of  the  seventeenth  century,  and  a  httle 
further  on  is  the  Sukharev  Bashnia,  Peter  s  memorial 
to  the  fidelity  of  a  regiment  of  the  force  he  exterminated. 
It    is    a  curious  pile :    an    octagonal  tower   rises   200 
feet  above  the   roadway  over   high    archways  and  a 
large  two-storeyed  gallery  above  them.     The  beholder 
who  is  told  that  this  is  like  a  ship  will  possess  the 
credulity  of  Polonius  if  he  assent ;  but  actually  Peter 
modelled    it   as   a   ship   to  serve  for   the  elementary 
instructions  of  his  future  sailors.     As  all  know,  Peter 
derived  his  idea  of  ships  from  the  Dutch,  but  even  that 
explains   little    and   leaves   much  to  the  imagination. 
As  remote  is  the  connection  of  Sukharev  with  ships 

o  209 


11 


.,^^,f,.c^m*--^    ■    ^Jfm 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

and  the  sea,  so  if  not  exactly  a  suitable  monument 
for  an  officer  of  Moscow's  soldiery  it  was  what  Peter 
thought  would  serve  his  purpose  better  than  any  other 
design.  Its  closest  connection  with  ships  is  at  present ; 
as  a  water  tower  it  is  not  wholly  useless  still.  Its  archi- 
tecture is  not  remarkable,  a  mixture  of  Lombard  with 
Gothic  that  might  have  resulted  from  copying  the 
Vosskresenski  Gate  and  substituting  a  tall  straight  tower 
for  the  ornate  Gothic  spires  then  the  fashion  in  Moscow. 
Considered  a  ship — the  tower  is  the  mast,  the  rooms 
below  are  supposed  to  resemble  the  poop-deck  and 
quarter-galleries  of  an  old  man-of-war.  The  entrance 
is  by  a  flight  of  steps  from  the  Srietenka ;  in  the  large 
room  a  number  of  Moscow  youths  were  instructed  in 
arithmetic  by  a  Scotch  schoolmaster  named  Farquharson, 
and  two  Christ  Church  scholars,  Gwynne  and  Graves, 
whom  Peter  held  practically  as  prisoners  there.  Some- 
times these  pupils  were  taken  to  St  Petersburgh  to 
drive  piles  for  foundations  of  the  new  town,  at  others 
they  were  exercised  in  elocution  and  deportment  that 
they  might  the  better  represent  comedies  for  the 
diversion  of  the  Court. 

The  teachers  of  the  school  knew  nothing  of  Russian 
and  the  scholars  only  their  native  tongue— such  was 
Peter's  way.     Unhappy  the  scholars 

Bane  paayMT*  bccb  co6pa.n.  h  hhht, 

IlpHpOAUblii  pVCKiii,  He  HtMHUHl,.* 

It  is  said  a  lodge  of  Freemasons  used  once  to  meet 
in  a  room  of  the  tower,  and  there  not  only  were 
"black  arts"  practised  but  Peter  convened  secret 
meetings  of  the  State  Council,  a  sort  of  Star  Chamber. 
The  society  of  "  Neptune  "  really  consisted  of  Lefort 

*  "Stolid,  forlorn,  mum  and  glum. 

Being  Russian  born — not  deaf  and  dumb." 

2IO 


Moscow  of  the  Citizens 

the  Swiss  General,  Archbishop  Theofan,  Admiral 
Apraxin,  Farquharson,  Bruce,  and  Princes  Cherkassky, 
Galitzin,  Menshikov,  and  Sheremetiev.  Those  in  fact 
who  were  for  westernising  Russia. 

The  story  of  the  Streltsi  and  the  part  they  played  in  the 
history  of  Moscow  is  worth  telling.     They  originated  with 
the  obrlchniks  of  Ivan  the  Terrible :  transformed  into  a  sort  of 
hereditary  militia,  they  fought  for  Moscow  when  called  upon, 
and  in  return  were  allowed  to  reside   tax  free,  to  trade,  to 
keep  shops,  mills  and   ply   various  handicrafts.     Their  com- 
mandants tried  to  make  serfs  of  them.    When  some  complained 
that  the  colonel  of  one  regiment  was   keeping  back  half  the 
pay,  Yazikov,    the    chief   of  the  commanders,  ordered  these 
petitioners  to  be  flogged  so  as  to  teach  them  not  to  complain 
of  those  in  authority  over  them.     Three  days  before  Theodore 
n.   died,  they  accused  Griboiedov  of  extortion,  cruelty  and 
withholding  pay  and  forcing  them  to  work  for  him  housebuild- 
ing, even  during  Easter  week.     This  complaint  reached  Dol- 
eoruki  •  he  ordered  the  messenger  to  be  flogged,  but  as  the 
man  was  led  away  he  called  to  his  fellows,  "Brothers,  I  was 
but  obeying  your  orders,"  thereupon  they  attacked  the  guard 
and  released  him.     Complaints  became  general :  it  was  practi- 
cally a  revolt  of  the  armed  citizens  the  government  had  to 
fear.     For  the  moment  it  yielded.     Griboiedov  was  ordered 
to  Siberia,   but  after  only  a  day's   imprisonment   reinstated. 
The  Streltsi  became  alarmed.    On  the  death  of  Theodore  they, 
among  themselves,  took  the  oath  of  fealty  to  Peter.     Sophia 
and  her  advisers  intrigued  and  split  the  Streltsi.    One  regiment 
under  Sukharev  remained  faithful  to  the  secret  oath,  to  Peter,  the 
Nary shk ins  and  Matvievs :  the  others  demanded  and  received 
their  colonels  whom  they  flogged— Griboiedov  with  the  knout, 
the  others  with  rods— their  property  was  confiscated,  and  the 
claims   of  the  Streltsi  paid.      The  Sukharev  regiment  took 
Peter  and  his  mother  to  the  Troitsa  Monastery  for  safety,  and  it 
is  in  commemoration  of  this  action  that  the  Tower  was  built. 

The  real  cause  of  the  later  conflict  arose  from  a 
deeper  trouble,  the  struggle  for  the  throne  between 
the  children  of  Alexis  by  his  first  wife,  and  Peter  the 
eldest  of  those  by  his  second.  Ivan  was  weak,  but 
his  sister  Sophia,  with  her  lover  Galitzin  and  a  court 
following  opposed  to  the  innovations  to  be  expected  of 

21  I 


I 


I 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

Naryshkins*  friends,  supported  him  most  loyally.     The 
Streltsi  insisted  that  Peter  should  reign  conjointly  with 
Ivan  and  carried  their  point,  but  Sophia,   as   regent, 
was  entrusted  with  certain  powers.     Both  princes  were 
crowned  in   1682,  but,  owing  to  intrigues,  the  court 
was    divided    into    two    factions— the    supporters    of 
Ivan  and  Sophia,  of  Peter  and  the  Matvievs.     The 
Khovanskis  were    accused    of  compassing   the   death 
of  Theodore,  and  beheaded.       Doubts  as  to  Peter  s 
parentage  were  expressed ;  the  trouble  made  previous 
to  the  marriage  of  Natalia  was   remembered ;    others 
declared  that  Peter  was  a  changeling,  really  the  son 
of  Dr  Van  Gaden.     Peter  himself,  according  to  the 
picture  of  his  patron  saint  painted  on  a  board  his  exact 
size  on  the  day  of  birth,  was  then  some  twenty  inches 
long  by  five  and  a  half  broad.     Moreover,  there  was  a 
doggerel  song  of  the  period  : 

«  What  luck,  oh,  what  joy  !     To  the  Tsar  has  been  given 
A  heir,  aye,  a  boy  !  sent  us  from  heaven  ! 
'Tis  wondrous !  'tis  rich !     With  laughter  and  mirth, 
Great  Peter  Alexevich,  first  lord  of  the  earth  '.  " 

Peter  is  said  once  to  have  met  his  reputed  father, 
a   rough   haunter  of  taverns   in   the   foreign   suburb. 
Throwing  him  roughly  to  the  ground  Peter  determined 
to  learn  whether  or  not  he  was  his  father.     "  Batuch 
ka  !     How  should  I  know— 1  was  not  the  only  one," 
the  fellow  is  reported  to  have  answered  ;  but  it  was 
only  a  stale  and  salacious  witticism  of  the  sort  Peter 
loved— certainly  pot  evidence.   The  struggle  was  further 
complicated  by  camps  of  orthodox  and  dissenters.      It 
was  fought  to  the  bitter  end  by  Sophia  on  behalf  of 
her  mother's  children,  against  Peter  who  was  only  her 
father's  son ;  on  behalf  of  herself  too,  for  she  had  a 
lover,  and  no  liking  for  the  seclusion  of  the  cloisters 
to  which  the  daughters  of  the  orthodox  Tsars  were 
212 


Moscow  of  the  Citizens 

relegated  because  they  were  of  too  high  birth  to  wed 
with  their  father's  subjects,  and  their  faith— which  they 
were  not  allowed  to  relinquish — an  effectual  barrier  to 
matrimony  with  a  foreign  prince.  At  first  the  revolt 
of  the  Streltsi  had  little  political  significance  beyond  the 
fact  that  it  was  the  forcible  demand  of  a  part  of  the 
citizens  for  common  justice. 

For  seven  years  Sophia  directed  the  affairs  of  state 
with  more  or  less  success ;  Ivan  was  simply  her  tool, 
with  Peter  she  had  greater  trouble,  and  in  1689, 
after  a  quarrel  with  her,  he  withdrew  from  Moscow 
and  went  to  Troitsa.  A  large  party  followed  him. 
Sophia  feared  revolt  and  appealed  to  the  people  in 
an  eloquent  address  of  three  hours'  duration. 

"Wicked  people  have  sown  the  seeds  of  discord ;  have  made 
my  brother  Peter  believe  his  life  is  in  danger.  Do  not  credit 
such  rumours.  Do  not  allow  these  to  lead  astray  those  faithful 
to  the  throne :  they  will  torture  such  until  they  can  no  longer 
endure,  and  nine  persons  will  denounce  nine  hundred.  You 
know  how  I  have  directed  the  affairs  of  this  state  for  seven 
years ;  have  made  a  glorious  peace  with  Poland,  and  worsted 
in  battle  the  Turks  and  infidels ;  how  I  have  always  thought 
of  your  needs  and  striven  for  your  welfare.  As  I  have  already 
done  so  shall  I  continue." 

Sophia  thought  she  had  won  over  the  crowd  ;  instead 
this  speech  lost  her  the  support  of  influential  leaders. 
When  Galitzin  left  Moscow  there  was  a  general  rush 
of  the  people  to  Peter ;  then  her  friends  were  seized 
by  his  order  and  she  tried  to  escape  to  Poland,  but 
was  captured  and  imprisoned  in  the  Novo  Deyichi 
Convent  where  she  was  forced  to  take  the  veil  as 
Susannah,  and  lived  in  strict  confinement  until  1704. 
Ivan  was  thrust  aside;  Peter  usurped  the  throne,  his 
weakly  half-brother  surviving  until  1696.  Then  Peter 
married  Eudoxia  Lapukhin,  daughter  of  a  boyard. 
Trouble  next  arose  when  Peter,  against  the  advice 
of  nobles  and   clergy,  went  abroad  and  worked  like 

213 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

2l  slave  under  foreign  rulers  ;  it  was  considered  sacrilege 
of  God's  anointed  so  to  do,  and  of  its  impolicy  there 
were  soon  signs,  and  Peter  hurriedly  returned  to  stamp 
out  discontent.  He  had  found  a  new  love,  one  Anna 
Mons,  a  German  in  Moscow,  and  would  have  married 
her  but  she  slighted  him  and  took  one  of  her  own 
countrymen  ;  his  wife  he  refused  to  see,  accusing  her 
of  "  certain  thwartings  and  suspicions."  He  wished 
also  for  proof  of  Sophia's  connection  with  the  discontent 
amongst  the  Streltsi  and  people  ;  in  this,  notwithstand- 
ing all  his  energy  and  cruelty,  he  was  unsuccessful. 

"Peter  on  his  return  reopened  the  inquiry,  and  fourteen 
torture  chambers  were  conducted  under  his  surveillance  in  the 
Preobrajenski  suburb.     The  fires  were  never  allowed  to  burn 
down,  nor  the  gridirons  on  which  his  victims  were  charred  to 
become  cool  either  by  night  or  day.     A  most  compromising 
letter  from  Sophia  to  the  Streltsi  is  generally  considered  to  be 
a  forged  document,  made  up  of  stray,  incoherent  scraps  of 
information  wrung  from   maddened  creatures   in  the   torture 
chamber.    Whereas  fifteen  blows  with  the  knout  were  equal  to 
a  capital  sentence,  one  of  the  Streltsi  was  put  to  the  torture 
seven  times  and  received  in  all  ninety-nine  blows,  yet  confessed 
nothing.     Korpatkov,  unable  to  bear  his  tortures,  killed  him- 
self.    Others  of  the  Streltsi  having  been  put  to  the  strappado, 
flogged,  and  burnt  without  getting  any  accusations  ;  the  wives, 
sisters  and  female  relatives  of  the  Streltsi  were  tortured  ;  so 
were  the  ladies  and  sewing  women  in  attendance  on  Sophia. 
Still  no  evidence  was  forthcoming.     Then  Sophia  herself  was 
put  to  the   torture,  Peter  doing  the  hangman's  work.     She 
never  wavered  in  denying  all  connection  with  the  movement. 
Her  younger  sister,  Marfa,  was  then  strung  up  in  turn  and 
aU  that  could  be  learned  of  her  was  that  she  had  apprised  her 
sister  Sophia  of  the  return  of  the  Streltsi  to  Moscow  and  of 
their  desire  to  see  her  rule  re-established.     Peter  was  unweary- 
ing inlhis  attendance  in  the  torture  chambers,  and  it  is  said 
took  a  fiendish  delight  in  the  agony  his  own  wrought  cruelties 
produced  on  his  relatives,  but  when  he  faUed  to  obtain  evidence 
he  determined  to  punish  indiscriminately.     The  executions  of 
the  Streltsi,  like  those  of  Ivan  the  Terrible's  victims,  were  m 


•  KojtomaroVf  vol.  ii.  p.  516. 


214 


Moscow  of  the  Citizens 

wholesale  fashion.  Five  were  beheaded  just  outside  the  torture 
chamber  by  the  Tsar  Peter  himself;  the  courtiers  of  his  body- 
guard he  commanded  to  do  the  same,  thinking  doubtless  they 
would  enjoy  the  shedding  of  blood  even  as  he  did.  Two 
foreigners  alone  refused  to  comply  with  this  order  Some 
200  Streltsi  were  crucified,  impaled  or  hanged  before  Sophia  s 
windows  in  the  Novo  Devichi  Convent :  but  most  vjere  exe- 
cuted in  the  Grand  Square  under  the  wall  of  the  Kremlin, 

viz  I— " 

200  on  Sept.  30th,  1698 

144  „  Oct.  nth, 
1 2  th, 


JS 


205  ,. 

141  „ 

109  „ 

65  ,, 

106   „ 


13th, 
17th, 

i8th, 
19th, 


>t 


«  On  some  occasions  a  tree  was  used  as  a  block ;  the  victims 
placed  in  rows  along  it,  and  their  heads  struck  of!  by  men  ot 
Peter's  new  guard.     Others  were  hanged ;  as  late  as  1727  the 
heads  stuck  on  pike  points  stood  round  the  Lobnoe  Mesto. 
In  January   1699  came  more  enquiries,  more  tortures,  more 
executions,  and  then  the  extermination  of  the  Streltsi  deter- 
mined upon.     There  was  a  break  from  1699  to  1704  as  Peter 
required  the  remaining  Streltsi  to  aid  in  the  wars  against 
Swedes  and  others,  but  after  the  revolt  in  Astrakhan,  the 
executions  were  renewed.     Stragglers  and  deserters  from  the 
corps,  those  related  to  them  and  who  associated  with  them,  were 
placed  under  a  ban— they  might  not  be  employed  by  anyone  ; 
none   might  give   them  food,   shelter,  or   assistance.      Ihey 
perished  miserably.     In  such  manner  did  Peter  exterminate 
the  old  Muscovite  militia." 

Peter's  cruelties,  like  those  of  Ivan  Groznoi,  did  not 
pass  unnoticed  by  the  Church.  His  treatment  of  the 
Streltsi  called  forth  a  fierce  denunciation  from  the 
Patriarch  Adrian,  who  "  beseeched  him  in  the  name 
of  the  Mother  of  God  to  desist."  "  Get  thee  home  ! 
answered  Peter,  "  I  know  that  I  reverence  God  and 
his  most  Holy  Mother ;  more,  perhaps,  than  thou  dost 
thyself.  It  is  the  duty  of  my  sovereign  office,  and  a 
duty  I  owe  to  God,  to  punish  with  the  utmost  severity 
crimes  that  threaten  the  general  welfare."     Unfortun- 

215 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

ately  the  Church  had  been  deprived  of  its  privilege  of 
intercession  for  the  life  of  one  accused,  and  Peter 
cared  nought  for  the  spiritual  power  of  the  Church,  as 
already  stated.  He  even  with  his  own  hand  killed 
two  priests,  but  afterwards  expressed  contrition.  The 
Church  regarded  him  almost  as  anti-christ ;  the  citizens 
dreaded  him  and  kept  out  of  his  way.  "  The  nearer 
the  Tsar  the  greater  the  danger,"  a  proverb  of  that 
time  was  believed  in  by  all.  Peter  had  his  proverb 
also,  "  the  knout  is  no  angel  but  teaches  men  to  speak 
the  truth,"  and  even  as  Ivan  did,  he  went  constantly 
in  fear  of  conspiracies,  chiefly  dreading  his  own  relations. 
Eudoxia,  now  the  nun  Helena  in  a  convent  at  Suzdal, 
was  believed  to  have  corresponded  with  Dositheus 
an  Archimandrite  who  had  predicted,  or  prayed  for, 
Peter's  death.  Glebov  was  the  intermediary  in  the 
matter;  he  was  impaled;  the  prelate  was  broken  on 
the  wheel ;  a  brother  of  the  ex-tsaritsa  was  tortured 
and  beheaded  ;  thirty  others  were  executed  or  exiled, 
and  Eudoxia  herself  flogged  and  confined  in  an  isolated 
convent  at  New  Ladoga.  Peter,  when  there  were  no 
more  conspirators,  or  accused,  offered  a  bribe  of  six 
roubles  to  all  who  made  secret  accusations,  and 
threatened  with  severe  penalties  any  who  held  back 
information.  The  better  to  protect  his  informers  from 
reprisals  by  the  people,  they  went  through  the  streets 
with  their  faces  veiled,  in  order  to  search  for  those 
whose  names  they  did  not  know,  but  whom  they  had 
overheard  in  indiscreet  speech.  The  people  hid  away 
when  "  the  tongue,"  as  the  masked  informer  was  called, 
was  abroad  in  the  streets,  and  for  days  the  city  would 
appear  to  be  quite  deserted. 

"  Peter  was  hairless  and  decreed  that  those  who  could  grow 
beards  should  not  be  allowed  to  wear  them.  Ivan  Naumov 
was  flogged  because  he  would  not  shave;  loo  roubles  was 
the  ordinary  fine  for  wearing  a  full  beard,  and  manj  paid  the 

2l6 


Moscow  of  the  Ctti%ens 

tax  repeatedly  rather  than  submit  to  Peter's  order.     These 
had  aUo  tLwlar  a  badge  with  the  legend  '  a  beard  is  a  useless 
Convenience,'  and  pafa  fine  whenever  f^^^^-^^^^^'l^':, 
Gate.    There  is  a  touch  of  irony  m  the  fact  that  Peter  died  ot 
a  chill  which,  may  be,  the  full  beard  of  a  Moscow  Otcts^ouXA 
have  prevented.     Although  Peter  was  epileptic,  he  had  no 
mercy  for  those  who  suffered  similarly.     A  woman    who  m 
Xtion  to  this  infirmity  was  also  blind,  was  P-t  to  the  tort^-^^^ 
for  disturbing  a  congregation.     A  tipsy  man  had  thirty  lashe^ 
with  the  knout  for  committing  the  like  offen^^'.  ^^^^^^ 
who  found  strange  chalk  marks  on  a  barrel  of  beer  m  he 
cellar  knew  not  what  they  meant,  nor  did  any  one  else ,  but 
h    was  put  to  tL  tortuJe,and  died  ""deMt  because  unable 
to  decipher  them.     Those  whom  Peter  >^'«hed  specially  to 
honour^he  made  hangmen.     An  old  boyard  who  liked  not 
salad,  as  '  sour  things  did  not  agree  with  him,  ^^^  "^f  \\^ 
empty  a  large  bottle  of  vinegar  by  Peter ;  and  a  Jewess  in  his 
cXany  who  declined  to  drink  to  the  extent  Peter  wished 
was  thefe  and  then  beaten  by  him  and  made  to  drink  much 
more." 

It  was  an  unequal    struggle :    a   powerful    autocrat 
attempting  to  force  a  proud,  stubborn  people  from  the 
habits  they  had  been  taught  to  /evere,  from  practices 
that  had  made  their  city  great  and  beautiful,      i  he  more 
successful  Peter  became  the  greater  was  the  opposition. 
His  courtiers  wore  wigs  at  court,  as  commanded,  but 
even  in  the  throne  room  removed  them   immediately 
Peter  was  out  of  sight.     After  ten  years  Peter  knew 
that  he  could  not  conquer  the  Muscovites  though  he 
might  kill  them.     As  late  as  1 7  2 2,  when  he  had  ordered 
all  ladies  above  ten  years  of  age  to  appear  at  a  reception, 
only  seventy  of  the  hundreds  qualified  did  as  commanded. 
At  St  Petersburg  it  was  different.     There,  no  Teeling 
of  shame,  no  loss  of  dignity  followed  the,  to  Moscow 
citizens,  most  ridiculous  behaviour  of  westerns,     l-eter  s 
son    Alexis,    the    Tsarevich,    preferred    Moscow    and 
Muscovite  customs :  in  him  Moscow  trusted,  and  tor 
this    Peter    hated   him.     His  friends  wished  him   to 
enter  a  monastery  until  his  father's  death  and  then      as 

217 


^.P" 


Ihe  Story  of  Moscow 

they  cannot  nail  the  cowl  to  one's  head,"  throw  it  off 
and  assume  the  crown.  He  did  not,  and  his  boast  to 
forsake  St  Petersburg  and  reinstate  Moscow  enraged 

Peter  who,  from  that  time, 
never  ceased  to  search  for 
conspiracies,  prompted  by, 
or  on    behalf  of  Alexis, 
and  persecuted  his  son  un- 
mercifully.    As  all  knew 
Ki^jjii        the    young    man    was 
^A^vy-'  lured  to  St  Petersburg 
-j^^";)J^     by    ijis    mistress,   who 
was  lavishly  rewarded 
for  her  perfidy  by  Peter, 
and  that  there  he  was  re- 
peatedly put  to  the  torture, 
more   than   once   with 
Peter  himself  as  exe- 
cutioner, and   that    he 
died  mysteriously  one  day 
after   being   "put   to   the 
question,"    i.e,    tortured, 
earlier   in   the   day   by   a 
party  of  whom  his  father 
was  one. 

The  Matviev's  lived  in 
that  part  of  the  city  just 
outside   the   Kitai-gorod, 
ST  NICHOLAS  "  sTYLiTE  "  ^j^^j.^  Alexis  had  settled 

a  number  of  little  Russians  from  the  newly-acquired 
territory,  the  Ukraine.  The  Marosseika  preserves 
the  name  of  this  settlement,  and  passing  up  it  from  the 
J.ubianski  Ploshchad,  leaving  All  Saints'  church  on  the 
right,  Armianski,  a  street  on  the  left,  will  soon  be 
reached.  There,  a  couple  of  hundred  yards  along,  on 
the  left  is  the  old  parish  church  of  St  Nicholas,  built  by 
2i8 


Moscow  of  the  Citizens 

Mikhail  Theodorovich,  contiguous  to  the  house  of  the 
Matviev's  and  the  Tsarista  Natalia,  where  is  now  the 
tomb  of  the  old  voievode— a  mean  mausoleum,  in  the 
classic   style.     The  church  shows  but  few  traces   ot 
western  influence  :  it  is  of  two  storeys  like  most  of  the 
churches  of  the  seventeenth  century  and  is  surrounded 
with  a  gallery,  formerly  open,  but  now  glazed  between 
the  pillars.     Near  by  is  the  Lazarev  Institute,  for  the 
study  of  eastern  languages,  and  peeping  over  the  trees 
will  be  seen  the  green  domes  and  pink  belfry  ot  the 
Monastery  of  St  John  Chrysostom,  with  five  churches 
of  which  the  oldest  was  founded  by  Ivan  Vasilievich 
in  1479 ;  the  entrance  is  from  the  Zlato-ustinski  pereulok. 
Opposite   the    Armianski    is    the    Kosmo  -  Damianski 
pereulok,  with  the  Lutheran  Church  founded  m  I5«2 
by  the  Englishman  Horsey  for  the  foreign  colony. 

Continuing  along  the  Marosseika,  past  the  Church  of 
the  Assumption  (p.  89),  an  interesting  church  will  be 
found  on  the  right,  that  of  the  Pokrovka  (Protection  , 
and  further  along  the  same  street,  where  it  changes  its 
name  to  the  Basmannia,  the  church  of  Vasili  Ivanovich 
built  in    1 51 7   and   reconstructed   in   i75|»  ^^  "^^'^ 
latter  date  its  architecture  belongs.     Turning  into  the 
Sadovia  on  the  left,  in    the    Furmanni   pereulok,  the 
second  on  the  left,  will  be  found  the  oldest  large  house 
in    Moscow,  the   residence    of  Prince  Usupov,  quite 
in  the  style  of  the  early  seventeenth  century,      i  he 
entrance  is  from  the  Charitonievski  Boulevard,  the  next 
turning  on  the  left.     The  whole  of  this  district  suffered 
much  from  the  fires  of  past  centuries  and  only   such 
buildings  as  these  isolated  churches  and  houses  in  their 
own  courtyards  escaped  the  general  conflagration.     A 
little  further  along  the  Sadovia  is  the  "  Krasnoe  Vorot 
or  Red  Gate  to  mark  the  old  tower  on  the  outer  wall. 
It   was    built   as    a   triumphal  arch   for  the  Empress 
Elizabeth  on  her  coronation,  when  tables  spread  with 

219 


Il 


II 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

viands  for  the  people  reached  from  there  to  the  Kremlin 
wall.  The  French  made  it  a  butt  for  musketry  practice, 
using  sacred  ikons  for  a  bulFs  eye. 

Architecture  of  a  different  type  is  to  be  found  in 
that  residential  quarter  of  the  city  between  the  Kremlin 
and  the  Prechistenka  Boulevard.  Behind  the  Riding 
School  is  the  Mokhovaia,  a  street  to  which  front  both 
Universities  and  the  Dom  Pachkov,  an  old  mansion  in 
which  is  stored  the  Rumiantsev  art  collection  and 
museum  of  antiquities.  The  entrance  is  in  the  Vogan- 
kovski  pereulok,  near  the  Znamenka.*     It  contains : — 

(a)  Foreign  ethnological  museum. 

{b)  TheDashkov  ethnographical  collection  of  Slavicantiquities; 
life  size  figures  of  the  races  inhabiting  Russia ;  in  another  hall 
of  Slavic  races  inhabiting  Austrian  and  other  adjacent  lands. 

(c)  Mineralogical  collection. 

(</)  Zoological  collection ;  includes  mammoth  and  Musco- 
vite and  Siberian  fossils. 

{e)  Slav  and  Christian  antiquities,  consisting  mostly  of  early 
specimens  of  eastern  iconography  from  Mount  Athos,  and 
archaeological  fragments.  They  are  in  four  rooms  on  the  upper 
storey,  and  one  ikon  of  Mosaic  is  particularly  interesting,  as 
are  also  many  of  the  specimens  of  Byzantine  and  Muscovite 
enamel  and  niello,  including  an  eleventh  century  Gold  Cross. 

(/■)  Picture  Galleries. — Copies  of  Flemish,  Spanish,  Italian 
and  other  schools,  and  the  Pryanichnikov  collection  of  Russian 
artists,  of  which  the  best  are:  i-io  by  Ivanov ;  42,  43, 
Chiernakov  ;  65,  by  Repin  ;  157,  158,  Aviazovski,  and  201-203, 
Chedrin. 

(g)  Manuscripts  and  early  printed  Slav  books,  some  very 
beautifully  illustrated.  This  section  is  closed  during  July  and 
August. 

(h)  Library  of  200,000  standard  works,  and  old  prints  and 
engravings. 

*  The  Russian  school  is  seen  to  better  advantage  on 
the  south  side  of  the  Moskva  river,  in  the  Tretiakov 
Galleries   (Lavrushenski  pereulok;  open  daily,   10  to 

*  Open  daily,  1 1  till  3 ;  free  on  Sundays ;  20  kopeeks 
entrance  on  other  days. 

220 


Moscow  of  the  Citizens 

4,  except  Mondays;  admission  free,  catalogue  in 
French,  20  kopeeks),  a  collection  made  by  the 
brothers  Paul  and  Sergius  Tretiakov,  and  now  the 
property  of  the  town.  Most  of  the  pictures  are  modern 
by  native  artists  ;  views  of  Moscow  and  of  the  historical 
and  interesting  buildings  in  the  town  are  by  no  means 
numerous.  Apparently  Russian  artists  have  not  yet 
discovered  that  the  Kremlin,  as  seen  from  across  the 
river,  is  as  good  a  subject  as  is  the  Piazza  San  Marco 
at  Venice,  or  any  other  hackneyed  city  scene  in  Europe. 

Most    noteworthy   among    the    paintings    illustrating    the 
history  of  Moscow  are:— The  murder  of  Alexis  by  Ivan  the 
Terrible,  by  J.  E.  Repin  (No.  782);  a  portrait  ot   the  same 
Tsar,  by  V.  N.  Vasnetsov  (No.  966)  ;  The  Execution  of  the 
Streltsi,  by  B.  J.  Surikov  (No.  737);  St  Nikita,  the  impostor, 
before  the  Tsarina  Sophia,  by  B.  G.  Peroff  (No.  733),  and  the 
same  Tsarina  in  the  Novo  devichi  Convent  during  the  execu- 
tion of  the  Streltsi,  by  J.  E  Repin  (No.  761).     Some  of  the 
ancient  customs  and  costumes  of  Moscow  are  represented  in  No. 
808  A  Boyard  Wedding,  by  C.  B.  Lebedev,  and  No.  1367,  The 
Handsel  of  Innocence,  by  Polenov— an  excellent  specimen  of 
this  painter's  best  work,  who  does  not  show  to  advantage  in 
his  views  of  the  Terem  (Nos.  1356-1366)  and  church  interiors 
(  Nos    I  ^4Q-  U  ?  5  )•      Instructive  also  are  the  sketches  Nos.  304- 
,07   made  by  V.  G.  Schwartz  to  illustrate  Count  A.  Tolstoi  s 
novel  "Prince  Serebrenni,"  and  308-312,  those  made  to  Ler- 
montov's  «'  Bread  Seller."  , 

Notable  pictures  taken  from  scenes  in  Russian  history  are:— 
The  Battle  of  Igor  Sviatoslaf's  son  against  the  Polovsti  (No. 
Q.o\  by  V.  M.  Vasnetsov ;  The  "  Black  Council,"  held  during 
the  rebellion  of  monks  at  the  Solovetski  Monastery  in   1666, 
by  S  D.  Miloradovich  (No.  742)  ;  Peter  the  Great  questioning 
his  son  Alexis,  by  N.  N.  Gay  (No.  636;  Ihe  Emancipation 
of  the  Serfs  in   1861,  by  G.  G.  Myassoiedov  (No.  495),  and 
No    252,  by  C.    D.   Flavitski,  the  imprisonment  of  Princess 
Tarakanov  in  the  fortress  of  Sts.  Peter  and   Paul,  during  a 
rise  of  the  Neva— a  sensational  incident  the  truth  of  which 
was  questioned  and  disproved,  when  this  picture  was  exhibited 
at  Paris  in   1867.     The  incident   represented  in  No.   394  by 
N.  B.  Nevref,  the  enforced  taking  of  the  veil  by  the  Princess 
Usupov,  was  of  such  common  occurrence  in  medieval  Russia, 
that  no  question  as  to  its  possibility  need  be  raised.     Some  of 

221 


I 


-^TTZ^r^n 


The  Story  of  Moscoiv 


the  best  of  the  war  pictures  of  Vereshchagin  are  in  this  collec- 
tion, and  other  painters  have  contributed  works  illustrating  the 
French  invasion,  and  more  recent  events,  in  a  style  quite  as 
original  and  striking  as  that  of  the  Russian  artist  best  known 
in  western  Europe.  In  all  the  subject  appears  to  be  far  more 
suggestive  and  interesting  than  the  craftsmanship.  This  is 
often  weak,  or  worse,  an  unsatisfactory  imitation  of  the  most 
impressive  methods  of  the  modern  French  school. 

Religious  pictures  are  numerous  and  good :  N  N.  Gay  is 
represented  in  forty-six  works  which  include  "  The  Morning 
of  the  Resurrection  "  (641),  "  The  Remorse  of  Judas  "  (642), 
♦•The  Judgment"  (643),  "Golgotha"  (645),  "What  is 
Truth  ?  "  (640),  and  "  Christ  in  Gethsemane  "  (634).  Several 
of  his  studies  of"  Christ  on  the  Cross  "  may  be  compared  with 
the  work  of  T.  A.  Bronnikov,  "Campus  Scleratus  "  (461). 
The  conventional  style  of  "  Ikon  "  painting  is  evident  in  Nos. 
7x7-730  by  M.  B.  Nesterov,  more  particularly  in  the  pictures 
illustrating  the  life  of  St  Sergius.  No.  739,  by  B.  J.  Surikov, 
represents  the  Boyarina  Morosov  being  removed  from  among 
the  dissenting  sect  she  did  so  much  to  establish. 

The  lighter,  merrier,  and  more  general  life  of  the  Russian 
people  is  shown  in  a  far  greater  number  of  pictures.  Pryan- 
ichnikoT  has  humour  as  well  as  style  (416-432),  in  542, 
Maximov  shows  the  arrival  of  the  "  wizard "  at  a  village 
wedding;  682  is  an  every  day  village  scene  representing  the 
homage  paid  to  the  ikon  on  its  visits;  Yarochenko  (701) 
shows  the  transport  van  with  its  exiles  committed  for  life 
and  the  free  birds  of  the  air  mocking  them.  Repin  depicts 
truthfully  the  happy  life  of  the  peasants;  766,  a  dance,  781, 
"  The  Unexpected  Return,"  797,  St  Cene.  In  the  same  vein 
are  also  857,  Lebedev  <<  Farings  "  ;  863,  Korovin,  The  Common 
Council ;  775,  776,  Answer  of  the  Zaporogians  to  Mahomet's 
ultimatum;  1 221 -1224,  the  Second-hand  market  at  Moscow, 
and  1256,  An  Evening's  Amusement,  are  by  V.  G.  Makovski ; 
The  Emigrants,  No.  1520,  by  S.  B.  Ivanof,  is  depressing,  but 
in  930  Madam  A.  L.  Rievski  shows  in  "  A  Moment  of 
Gaiety  "  the  true  character  of  the  peasant. 

In  the  streets  Znamenka  and  Vozdvigenka  are  some 
characteristic  Russian  mansions  of  the  eighteenth  century, 
for  it  was  then  that  this  quarter,  which  had  formerly 
been  inhabited  by  palace  servants  and  craftsmen,  began 
to  take  a  more  aristocratic  character.  That  of  Prince 
Sheremetiev  is  the  most  bizarre ;  there  also  is  the  old 
222 


1 


Moscow  of  the  Citizens 

town  hall  and  the  Foreign  Archives.  In  various  parts 
of  the  town,  even  on  the  south  side  in  the  Kaloujskaya, 
will  be  found  modern  mansions,  that  is,  erected  or  re- 
built since  the  great  fire,  in  the  style  of  the  Moscow  of 
the  golden  age.  One  of  the  best  is  the  Dom  Chukina 
near  the  Tverskaya  Triumfalnia — a  monument  no  visitor 


DOM    CHUKINA 


can  escape  seeing.  But  there  is  no  long  street  without 
one  or  more  buildings  which  attract  the  attention  of  the 
stranger  by  some  idiosyncracy  of  form  or  colour.  No 
matter  in  which  direction  one  may  go — in  the  bustling 
Kitai-Gorod,  the  quiet  and  aristocratic  Ostogenka,  or 
the  bourgeois  Zamoskvoretski — soon  will  be  seen  some 
interesting  fane  reaching  above  the  buildings  that  flank 
the  street,  and  a  portal  distinguished  by  its  cross  and 
ikon  indicate  the  entrance  to  the  sacred  enclosure  of 

223 


y 


I 


^i 


T^be  Story  of  Moscow 

some  monastery,  where,  amidst  leafy  foliage  and  bright 
verdure,  is  quiet  and  seclusion  like  that  of  the  oasis  of 
the  Temple  amidst  the  dreary  turmoil  of  London's 
vastness.  Take  that  very  ordinary  street,  the  Nikits- 
kaya  for  example ;  it  is  wholly  common  place,  wedged 
in  between  districts  devoted  to  ordinary  commerce, 
and  the  chilling  respectability  of  moderate  affluence, 
and  leads  nowhere  in  particular.  Yet  even  its  name  is 
interesting ;  did  it  obtain  it  from  the  worthy  founder 
of  the  Romanof  dynasty  ?  or  from  the  religious  fanatic 
who  argued  points  of  ritual  with  Sophia  and  the 
Patriarch  ?  or  from  St  Nikita,  the  saint  who  shut  up 
Satan  in  a  jar  and  released  him  only  on  stipulated  and 
agreed  conditions  ? 

It  starts  from  the  Alexander  Gardens,  the  old 
western  bank  of  the  stream  Neglinnaia  that  once 
strengthened  the  defences  of  the  Kremlin  ;  passes  the 
entrance  to  the  riding  school,  one  of  the  great  things 
Moscow  has  produced  since  the  fire  of  1812.  The 
length  of  this  building  is  360  feet,  breadth  168, 
and  its  wooden  roof,  unsupported  by  perpendicular 
stanchions,  was  considered  a  wonder  of  the  world, 
when  Alexander  first  manoeuvered  2000  infantry,  and 
1000  cavalry  beneath  it.  Then  come  the  Universities, 
the  old  and  the  new,  one  on  each  hand ;  beyond,  on 
the  left,  is  the  Nikitsky  Monastery,  enclosing  four 
churches,  one  dating  from  the  founding  of  the  monastery 
in  1682,  at  the  end  of  the  "golden  age."  On  the 
opposite  side  is  the  Academy  of  Science,  on  this  the 
Conservatorium,  facing  it  a  quaint  old  church  of 
primitive  architecture  and  diminutive  size ;  above  its 
lowly  belfry  rears  the  square  brick-built  tower  of  an 
English  Church.  The  house  of  a  boyard  here,  of  a 
prince  there,  bear  names  of  note  in  Moscow's  history, 
as  Gagarin,  Galitzin,  Chernichev,  designate  the  owners 
of  the  houses  on  either  side,  and  of  the  side  streets 

224 


Moscow  of  the  Citizens 


to  right  and  left.  The  further  from  the  Kremlin,  the 
centre,  the  more  frequent  and  greater  the  inducement 
to  turn  aside  to  inspect  more  closely  the  glittering  and 
gaudy  domes  of  churches,  old  and  new,  which  are 
thickly  sprinkled  over  the  whole  district.  Nor  can 
the  stranger  easily  do  amiss  whichever  way  he  turns. 
If  towards  the  left,  a  curious  lofty  belfry  of  open 
masonry  will  repay  careful  scrutiny,  and  reveal  close 
by  other  domed  and  pinnacled  temples,  lost  amidst  this 
multitude  of  white  walls  and  luxuriant  verdure.  If  to 
the  right,  two  churches  in  close  proximity,  of  unique 
design  and,  probably,  oppressive  colouring,  will  en- 
courage to  further  explorations  in  the  same  direction. 

The  oldest  churches  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the 
Arbat  are,  Boris  and  Gleb,  1527;  Tikhon,  the  wonder- 
worker, 1 689  ;  but  the  Church  of  the  Transfiguration 
is  one  of  the  most  beautiful.  In  the  Povarskaya,  is 
that  of  St  Simon  Stylite,  1676,  and  near,  another  in- 
teresting church — Rojdestvenka. 

Probably  Moscow  does  not  charm  so  strongly  by 
reason  of  any  particular  building  or  style  as  by  the 
great  diversity  of  its  houses  and  churches,  both  in 
design  and  colouring.  More  especially  in  those 
quarters  where  the  wooden  log-houses  still  linger  in 
their  gardens,  and  where  the  frame-houses  are  all  made 
gay  with  white,  cream,  blue-gray,  yellow  and  pink 
body  colour,  and  the  roofs  of  dark  green  or  still 
darker  crimson ;  there  Moscow  seems  to  belong  to 
another  world.  It  is,  alas,  disappearing  fast,  and  the 
spacious  courtyards,  with  their  trees  and  the  gardens 
gay  with  giant  lilacs  and  golden-chain,  are  being 
built  on,  and  houses  that  stand  shoulder  to  shoulder 
in  plain  and  hideous  uniformity  level  up  the  largest 
village  to  the  standard  of  a  modern  town  made  in 
Germany. 

There   is   another   aspect   of  Moscow   which   the 

F  225 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

summer  visitor  can  never  know.  That  comes  when 
the  thermometer  falls  from  its  summer  average  of 
64*9°  F.  to  its  winter  average  of  14°  F.  This 
difference  of  50°  explains  much  that  appears  wanton 
in  the  architecture  of  buildings  great  and  small ; 
accounts  for  the  galleries  round  the  outside  of  the 
churches,  for  the  extensive  vestibules  ;  for  thick  walls, 
still  thicker  roofs,  and  great  spouts ;  for  the  plain 
surfaces  and  lack  of  projecting  decorations,  gargoyles 
and  angular  mouldings ;  for  the  distempered  walls, 
which  alone  successfully  stand  the  biting  frosts  of  winter 
and  the  blistering  summer  sun. 

With  the  change  to  winter  temperature  a  great  quiet 
comes  over  the  town,  wheeled  traffic  is  stopped,  sledges 
glide  over  the  frozen  roads,  and  from  the  windless 
sky  the  great  snowflakes  can  ever  be  seen  idly  and 
slowly  floating  in  their  long  and  leisurely  descent  to 
earth.  A  reddened  sun  appears  for  a  short  time  each 
day  in  a  leaden  sky,  and  Moscow  lives,  is  more  active, 
more  itself,  than  when  the  light  of  summer  decks  its 
walls  and  pinnacles  in  holiday  garb.  But  at  whatever 
season  studied,  Moscow  will  reveal  traces  of  the  past ; 
will  show  that  she  has  long  smiled  under  the  summer  sun 
of  good  fortune  and  been  wrinkled  by  the  winter  of 
adversity ;  scorched,  too,  by  the  volcanic  fire  of  her 
own  excesses,  but  now  staid,  hoary,  strenuous,  and  of 
surprising  vitality  in  all — 3mo  MamyiUKa  MOCKSa. 


226 


CHAPTER  XI 


Ancient  Customs  and  Qjiaint  Survivals 

"  The  customs  are  so  quainte 
As  if  I  would  describe  the  whole 
I  feare  my  penne  would  fainte." 

G.  TURBERVILLE  (1568). 


CTRANGE  and  unaccountable  to  the  men  of  the 
Elizabethan  age  were  the  manners  and  customs 
of  the  Muscovites  ;  at  this  day,  some  of  the  things 
these  early  visitors  minutely  described  seem  scarcely 
credible. 

In  many  ways  the  life  of  the  old  boyards  was  not 
unlike  that  of  their  Tsar.  They  fought  and  worshipped 
and  maintained  state ;  bought,  sold  and  sought  wealth 
even  as  he  did.  There  remain  at  least  two  old  houses 
of  boyards  in  Moscow.  One,  the  Potieshni  Dvorets  in 
the  Kremlin,  formerly  the  dwelling  of  the  Miloslavskis, 
is  at  the  present  time  chiefly  useful  as  indicating  the 
architecture  of  a  Russian  house  in  mediseval  times ; 
and  that  only  so  far  as  the  exterior  is  concerned,  for 
the  internal  arrangements  have  been  so  many  times 
altered  as  to  bear  now  but  little  resemblance  to  a 
typical  dwelling  of  the  seventeenth  century.  The 
other  house,  the  Palata  Romanovykh,  or  Dom  Romanof, 
was  at  one  time  the  dwelling  of  the  Romanof  family 
and  has  been  restored  to  as  nearly  as  possible  resemble 
the  state  in  which  it  was  when  the  Tsar  Michael  was 
elected  to  the  throne  in   1 613.     It  is  situated  in  the 

227 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

Varvarka,  contiguous  to  the  spot  on  which  the  English 
factory  stood,  and  in  addition  to  being  a  museum  of 
minor  antiquities  serves  well  to  illustrate  some  of  the 
habits  of  the  nobles  of  Moscow  in  the  sixteenth 
century,  for  the  house  belonged  to  Nikita  Romanof, 
grandfather  of  the  Tsar  Michael,  who  himself  gave 
the  house  in  which  his  own  father  was  born  to  the 
adjoining  monastery.  Incorporated  with  those  build- 
ings, it  shared  their  vicissitudes  ;  was  injured  by  fire 
repeatedly,  altered,  added  to,  then  spoiled  and  sacked 
by  the  French. 

It  is  not  a  large  house  :  the  frontage  to  the  Varvarka 
is  scarcely  sixty  feet  and  built  on  sloping  ground  it 
presents  but  one  storey  to  this  street.  The  principal 
entrance  was  from  its  own  courtyard,  where  the  south 
front  presents  four  storeys  looking  over  the  Moskva 
[v,  page  1 08). 

The  ground  floor  is  of  undoubted  antiquity  ;  brick 
built,  plastered  and  painted.  On  this  foundation  is 
reared  the  wooden  house  in  the  true  Russian  style. 
The  low  clock  tower  over  the  entrance  has  for  a 
weather  vane,  a  griffin,  the  arms  of  the  Romanofs  ;  the 
windows  are  small,  ogival,  and  glazed  with  mica  panes. 

It  is  impossible  that  in  so  small  a  house  there  could 
have  been  any  accommodation  for  the  multitude  of 
retainers  and  body  servants  a  boyard  had  always  about 
his  house.  These  lived  in  separate  dwellings  around 
the  courtyard.  The  ground  floor  of  Russian  houses 
consisted  of  cellars  and  storerooms.  In  these  vaults 
were  kept :  wine,  mead,  kvas,  ice,  frozen  and  salted 
meats  and  fish.  The  next  storey  in  this  house  consists 
of  kitchens  and  domestic  offices — in  a  house  not  built 
upon  sloping  ground,  these  would  be  on  the  ground 
floor.  The  first  floor,  the  Bel  etage,  which,  in  all 
old  Russian  buildings — houses,  churches  and  shops — 
is  reached  by  steps  very  similar  to  those  from  the 
228 


Ancient  Customs  and  Qjiaint  Survivats 

courtyard  to  the  Varvarka  street  level   in  the  Dom 
Romanof. 

Entering  the  vestibule  from  the  Varvarka,  on  the 
right  are  two  small  rooms,  one  for  the  use  of  attendants 
the  other  now  fitted  as  a  nursery,  but  undoubtedly 
originally  an  ante- chamber.     The  largest  room  on  this 


KRESTOVAIA    IN    THE   DOM    ROMANOF 

floor  is  called  Krestovaia,  or  Chamber  of  the  Cross. 
It  was  the  state-room.  Here  the  boyard  received  the 
priests  who  came  at  Easter-tide,  Christmas,  and  other 
feasts  and  on  special  occasions  to  offer  congratulations 
or  perform  sacred  offices.  The  roof  is  vaulted,  and,  in 
addition  to  the  niches  seen  in  the  walls,  there  are  secret 
recesses  for  the  concealment  of  treasure.  In  the  "sacred 
corner  "  is  an  ancient  ikon,  and  on  the  table  before  it, 
covered  with  a  rich  Persian  cloth,  are  two  crosses. 
The  stand,  or  mountain,  was  the  rack  on  which,  upon 
all   solemn  or  festive  occasions,  the  family  plate  was 

229 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

displayed.     Among  the  old  treasures  preserved  here 
are  a  cocoa-nut  shell  mounted  as  a  drinking-cup,  and 
various  other  curious  drinking-cups,  bowls,  and  vases  ; 
an  equestrian  statuette,  silver-gilt,  of  Charles  I.,  a  gift 
from  that  monarc'i  to  the  Tsar  Michael;  two  ewers 
presented  by  Charles  II.  ;    a  silver  salt  cellar,  and  a 
puisoir   presented  by   Martha   Ivanovna,   wife  of  the 
Patriarch,  to  her  son  the  Tsar  in   1618.     No  doubt 
it  was  in  this  room  that  the  great  banquets  given  by  the 
boyard  took  place,  but  ordinarily  the  boyard  would  eat 
in  his  own   apartment,  his  wife  in  hers.     From   this 
room   a  doorway   leads   to   the   private   room    of  the 
boyard.     This  ** study'*  is  heated  by  a  stove  of  coloured 
tiles,  variously  ornamented  and  bearing  quaint  inscrip- 
tions and  designs,  as  a  tortoise,  "  There  is  no  better 
house  than  one's  own  "  ;  doves,  "  Fidelity  unites  us." 
The  cases   contain   some  of  the    personal   attire  and 
weapons  of  the  early  boyards  and  their  descendants, 
as  :  a  silk  mantle,  some  swords  and  daggers,  a  staff, 
the  sceptre  of  the  Tsar  Michael,  riding-boots,  walking- 
sticks,  and  the  like.     The  high  narrow-heeled  riding- 
boots  are  very  curious,  so  too,  on  the  copper  inkstands, 
as  antique  in  appearance  as  those  of  Chaucer's  day,  will 
be  seen  the  lion  and  unicorn,  a  Byzantine  device  often 
found  in  Russia.     There  is  also  a  low  seat  used  for 
writing,  for  the  Russian   placed  the  paper  upon   his 
knees,  not  on  a  table ;  his  lines  were  not  straight,  and 
much  good  paper  was  wasted. 

There  is  an  oratory  communicating  with  this  four- 
windowed  apartment,  also  two  rooms  used  as  nurseries ; 
one  for  boys,  the  other  for  girls.  In  these  close,  small 
rooms  the  children  were  reared,  for  it  was  the  habit  of 
the  Russians  not  only  to  hide  their  children  from  all 
strangers,  but  to  keep  them  from  all  but  their  most 
intimate  friends  and  relatives. 

A  small  doorway  leads  to  a  steep  narrow  staircase 

230 


Ancient  Customs  and  Quaint  Survivals 

communicating  with  the  top  storey,  the  terem  or  women's 
apartments,  consisting  of  a  reception  room,  a  bed- 
chamber and  turret ;  from  these  rooms  the  nursery  may 
also  be  reached  by  a  still  narrower  staircase,  ihe 
walls  of  the  reception  room  are  covered  with  stamped 
leather,  the  woodwork  is  carved  in  high  relief,  the 
stiff  benches  round  the  wall  have  stuffed  seats  and  are 
covered  with  brocade.  There  are  a  number  of  old 
coffers  and  close  wardrobes,  also  some  curious  clothing 
is  displayed  in  cases. 

The  four-post  bedstead  cannot  be  considered  a 
native  institution.  It  is  peculiarly  Scandinavian.  The 
English  adopted  it  from  the  Danes  ;  the  English  re- 
introduced it  into  Russia,  finding  that  the  Russians 
themselves  slept  either  on  the  stove,  or  on  an  eastern 
divan.  More  than  once  the  early  English  ambassadors 
to  Russia  have  complained  that  bedsteads  were  lackmg, 
and  it  was  long  before  their  use  became  general. 

The  boyards  kept  their  women  folk  hidden  away  m 
the  terem  in  almost  eastern  seclusion.  Jenkinson  states 
that  « the  women  be  very  obedient  to  their  husbands, 
and  are  kept  straitly  from  going  abroad  but  at  some 
seasons."  Other  travellers  write  that  the  women  are 
hardly  used  by  their  husbands,  who  beat  them  unmerci- 
fully ;  "  and  the  women,  though  young  and  strong, 
never  resent  even  if  the  husband  be  old  and  weak. 
Herberstein  relates  that  a  foreigner  in  Moscow  married 
to  a  Russian  woman  was  upbraided  by  his  wife  because 
he  never  beat  her  as  Russian  husbands  did  their  wives, 
and  that  he  then  beat  her  to  please  her  ;  but  as  sub- 
sequently he  cut  off  her  legs,  and  finally  her  head  also, 
the  story  is  worth  nothing  as  evidence  of  a  custom. 

Sylvester  in  his  « Domostroi "  says  a  wife  ought 
never  to  take  the  title  of  Lady,  but  always  to  look  on 
her  husband  as  Lord.  She  was  to  concern  herself 
only  with  household  affairs,  and  might  be  treated  like  a 

231 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

slave  ;  only  the  husband  is  enjoined  "  not  to  use  a  too 
thick  stick,  or  a  stafFe  tipped  with  iron,  nor  to  humiliate 
unduly  by  flogging  before  men." 

Out  of  doors  she  was  carried  in  a  shuttered  litter, 
and  she  wore  the  fata  or  veil ;  a  special  part  of  the 
church  was  assigned  women,  but  the  wives  and 
daughters  of  the  boyards  usually  worshipped  in  their 
own  private  chapels,  and  went  to  the  Cathedrals  but 
upon  special  and  state  occasions.  Then  it  was  that 
suitors  caught  a  glimpse  of  their  future  brides,  and 
received  glances  which  bespake  love. 

As  among  eastern  nations,  the  bridegroom  usually 
did  not  see  his  wife  before  marriage.  When  the 
preliminaries  had  been  arranged  and  settled  by  third 
parties,  the  bridegroom  sent  a  present  of  sweetmeats  and 
a  whip  to  his  bride  elect,  who  always  spent  the  night 
before  the  marriage  ceremony  at  the  house  of  the  bride- 
groom's parents.  On  the  day  of  the  marriage  he  put 
into  one  of  his  boots  sweetmeats  or  a  trinket,  into 
the  other  a  whip  ;  the  newly  wedded  wife  took  off  the 
boots,  and  to  remove  first  that  which  contained  the 
trinket  was  considered  the  omen  of  a  happy  life  for  the 
woman.  "  But  if  she  light  on  the  boot  with  a  whip  in 
it,  she  is  reckoned  among  the  unfortunate  and  gets  a 
bride-lash  for  her  pains,  which  is  but  the  earnest  penny 
of  her  future  entertainment."  There  were  also  other 
little  passes  during  the  complex  ceremony,  the  winning 
of  any  indicating  the  mastery  during  wedded  life. 

Such  was  the  woman's  lot  in  the  seventeenth  century, 
but  much  was  done  to  better  it  before  Peter  the  Great 
introduced  western  freedom.     Collins  wrote  in  1674  : — 

"The  Russian  discipline  to  their  wives  is  very  rigid  and 
severe,  more  inhuman  in  times  past  than  at  present.  Yet 
three  years  ago  a  Moscow  merchant  beat  his  wife  as  long  as  he 
was  able,  with  a  whip  two  inches  round,  and  then  caused  her 
to  put  on  a  smock  dript  in  brandy,  to  which  he  set  fire,  and 

232 


Ancient  Customs  and  Quaint  Survivals 

so  the  poor  creature  perished  miserably  in  flames.  Yet  none 
prosecuted  her  death,  for  there  is  no  law  against  killing  a 
woman,  or  slave,  if  it  happens  on  correction.  Some  of  these 
beasts  will  tie  up  their  wives  by  the  hair  of  the  head  and  whip 
them  stark  naked.  Now  parents  make  better  matches  for  their 
daughters,  obliging  husbands  to  contract  to  use  them  kindly, 
without  whipping,  striking  or  kicking  them." 

Even  Peter's  code  was  cruel:  it  was  during  his 
reign  that  Le  Bruyn  saw  a  woman  executed  in  Moscow 
by  being  buried  alive ;  covered  up  to  her  neck  in  the 
dank  black  soil  she  lived  but  two  days,  whereas,  on  the 
same  authority,  there  were  others  who  lingered  ten  or 
more.  In  Russia,  as  in  countries  further  west,  the 
crime  of  petty  treason,  the  murder  of  a  husband,  was 
considered  almost  as  heinous  as  high  treason,  and 
punished  accordingly. 

Kept  closely  confined  to  a  small  apartment,  livmg 
almost  always  in  heated  rooms  the  Russian  ladies  had 
fair  complexions  ;  "  white  cream-and-snow  tinged  with 
the  faint  hue  of  the  inside  of  a  camellia  "  one  poet 
describes  it.  Others  are  not  so  generous  ;  Turberville 
writes : 

«  To  buy  her  painted  colours,  doth  allowe  his  wife  a  fee 
Wherewith  she  deckes  herselfe,  and  dyes  her  tawny  skin  ; 
She  prankes  and  paints  her  smoakie  face, 
Browe,  lippe,  cheeke  and  chinne." 

All  writers  complain  that  the  women  painted  with- 
out art;  many  blacked  their  teeth,  and  stained  their 
nails  with  henna,  a  custom  which  obtained  with  the 
wives  of  Russian  merchants  to  the  present  century. 
So,  too,  after  Peter  the  Great  forced  women  from  the 
seclusion  of  the  tercm^  it  was  the  custom  of  ladies  to 
present  to  each  other  in  public  their  paint  boxes,  even 
as  in  the  west  men  offered  snufF.  It  was  not  until 
after  the  French  invasion  that  this  custom  died  out, 
and  Pushkin  endeavoured  to   advance  the  new  order 

•  233 


Mi 


T'he  Story  of  Moscow 

by  deriding  the  practice  and  ridiculing  the  English 
governors  who  followed  it.  On  the  other  hand,  a  lady 
of  the  court  who,  much  to  the  chagrin  of  others, 
refused  to  paint  her  face,  was  compelled  to  do  so  by 
order  of  the  Tsar,  to  whom  complaint  had  been  made. 

As  women  were  free  in  the  Russia  of  the  Norsemen, 
the  seclusion  in  the  terem  was  either  a  custom  adopted 
from  Byzantium  or,  more  probably,  a  precautionary 
measure  to  protect  them  from  Tartar  invaders.  The 
purpose  of  these  invasions  has  already  been  stated,  and 
as  on  one  foray  the  Tartars  are  reported  to  have  taken 
away  400,000  captives  from  Russia,  the  hiding  ot 
women  and  children  in  portions  of  the  dwellings  to 
which  men  at  no  time  had  access  was  doubtless  con- 
sidered to  enhance  their  chances  of  escape  during  the 
temporary  absence  of  the  master  in  the  front  of  the 
battle ;  and  from  being  a  temporary  retreat  it  became 
the  ordinary  living  apartments.  But  the  custom  was  a 
town  one  ;  not  practised  by  villagers. 

The  Russians  were  largely  flesh  eaters,  meat  and 
fish  constituted  the  diet  not  only  of  the  well  to  do  but 
of  the  peasants.  In  the  north  Le  Bruyn  found  the 
natives  feeding  even  their  beasts  on  fish,  and  Ysbrant 
noted  the  same  practice  among  the  inhabitants  east  of 
the  Ural.  Jenkinson  found  that  the  Muscovites  had 
"many  sortes  of  meates,  and  delight  in  eating  gross 
meates  and  stinking  fish."  Brandy  was  served  round 
before  eating  commenced,  a  custom  that  still  obtains  and 
was  originally  derived  from  the  Norsemen.  Collins 
states  that  horse-flesh  was  forbidden  ;  also  hare,  rabbit, 
and  elk.  At  some  seasons  veal  was  forbidden  :  any 
thing  sweetened  with  sugar,  or  candy,  on  fast  days ; 
and,  at  all  times,  dishes  flavoured  with  musk,  civet 
and  beaver.  The  chief  dish  at  a  banquet  given  to 
Herberstein  was  of  swan,  served  with  sour  milk, 
pickled  gherkins  and  plums.     There  was  abundance 

234  * 


Ancient  Customs  and  Quaint  Survivals 


of  corn,  and  some  of  the  commoner  vegetables ;  the 
fruits  were  insipid ;  except  filberts,  Herberstein  found 
none  of  the  sweeter  kinds  of  fruit  or  nuts.  Water 
melons  were  grown  and  then,  as  now,  the  Russians  fed 
upon  many  different  kinds  of  fungus;  some  thirteen 
varieties  found  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Moscow  are 
edible,  but  the  Russian  regards  as  scarcely  wholesome 
the  only  mushroom  eaten  in  England. 

Tea  was  known  to  the  Russians  of  the  middle  ages ; 
some  quaint  samovars  are  preserved  in  the  Dom 
Romanof,  but  the  medieval  Russ  found  his  greatest 
pleasure  in  drinking  mead,  brandy  and  strong  liquors. 
Before  drinking  it  was  the  custom  to  blow  in  the  cup ;  to 
guests  and  strangers  wine  was  offered  by,  or  on  behalf 
of,  each  member  of  the  host's  family,  in  small  cups  or 
glasses,  then,  to  conclude,  a  huge  cup  filled  to  the  brim 
from  which  it  was  the  correct  etiquette  to  take  but  a  sip. 

In  Sylvester's  « Domostroi "  the  correct  etiquette 
for  masters  and  servants  is  set  forth.  At  table  the 
diner  may  "blow  his  nose,  must  spit  without  noise, 
take  care  to  turn  away  from  the  company,  and  put  his 
foot  over  the  place."  Instead  of  advising  the  lord  to 
sell  old  slaves  and  cattle,  as  Cato  told  the  Romans  to 
do,  Sylvester  requires  that  old  servants  who  are  no 
longer  good  for  anything  must  be  "  fed  and  clothed, 
in  consideration  of  their  former  services."  Then,  for 
the  servant ;  "  when  a  man  sends  his  servant  to  honest 
people,  he  should  on  arriving  knock  softly  at  the  door 
of  the  grand  entrance  ;  when  the  slave  comes  to  ask 
what  he  wants,  he  must  reply  *I  have  nought^ to  do 
with  thee,  but  with  him  to  whom  I  am  sent.'  He 
must  say  only  from  whom  he  comes,  so  that  the  man 
may  tell  his  master.  On  the  threshold  of  the  chamber 
he  will  wipe  his  feet  on  the  straw.  Before  entering  he 
will  blow  his  nose,  spit  and  say  a  prayer.  If  no  one  calls 
Jmen  /  to  him,  he  will  say  another  prayer ;  if  there 

235 


il 


•31 
*J 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

is  still  no  answer,  a  third  prayer  in  a  louder  voice.  If 
still  no  answer,  he  may  then  knock  at  the  door.  On 
entering  he  must  bow  before  the  sacred  ikon ;  then  he 
will  explain  his  errand  ;  he  must  not  touch  his  nose,  or 
spit,  or  cough ;  look  neither  to  right  nor  left." 

The  Tsars  derived  much  revenue  from  a  cursemay 
or  drinking  tavern  in  each  town,  which  was  let  out  to 
tenants  or  bestowed  upon  some  courtier  for  a  year  or 
two,  "  then,  he  being  grown  rich,  is  taken  by  the  Tsar 
and  sent  to  the  warres  again,  where  he  shall  spend  all 
that  which  he  hath  gotten  by  ill  means,  so  that  the 
Tsar  in  his  warres  is  little  charged,  but  all  the  burden 
lieth  on  the  poor  people." 

Jenkinson  writes  :  «  At  my  being  there,  I  heard  of 
men  and  women  that  drunk  away  their  children  and  all 
their  goods  at  the  Tsar's  tavern,  and  not  being  able  to 
pay,  having  pawned  himself,  the  taverner  bringeth  him 
out  to  the  highway,  and  beates  him  upon  the  legs ; 
then  they  that  pass  by,  knowing  the  cause  and  perad- 
venture,  having  compassion  upon  him,  giveth  the  money, 
so  he  is  ransomed." 

During  carnival  there  were  many  deaths  due  to  ex- 
cessive drinking  and  the  extreme  cold,  for  it  was  then 
that  all  had  licence  to  drink  and  make  merry.  The 
Tsar  Vasili  Ivanievich  (i 505-1 533)  gave  permission 
to  some  of  his  courtiers  to  drink  at  any  time,  but  in 
order  that  their  habits  might  not  corrupt  the  people 
they  had  to  live  apart  in  a  special  suburb,  which  was 
appointed  them  on  the  south  side  of  the  river,  where 
for  a  time  all  the  dwellers  were  known  by  the  name 
of  Nali  or  "Drinkers." 

"  Folke  fit  to  be  of  Bacchus  train,  so  quaffing  is  their  kinde, 

Drinke  is  their  sole  desire,  the  pot  is  all  their  pride  ; 

The  sob'rest  head  doth  once  a  day  stand  needful  of  a  guide, 

And  if  he  goe  into  his  neighbour  as  a  guest, 

He  cares  for  little  meat,  if  so  his  drinke  be  of  the  best." 

TURBERVILLE,    I  568. 
236 


Ancient  Customs  and  Qjiaint  Survivals 


The  Muscovites  knew  not  how  to  dance.     At  their 
merrymakings   they    made    Tartars   and    Poles   dance 
to  amuse  them  ;  their  music  was  obtained  from  brass 
hunting   horns,   trumpets,   cymbals   and    the    bagpipes. 
Kotoshin  states  that  the  boyards  were  "  dull,  ignorant 
men,  who  sit  in  silence,  stroking  their  beards  and  making 
no  reply  to  anything  said  to  them."     The  common 
people  amused  themselves  on  the  "  sway  "  or  sea-saw ; 
they  loved  to  assemble  in  crowds  and  to  sing  and  drinK 
together.      Some  were  drawn  up  and  down  in  chairs, 
others  went  round  and  round  in  flying-chairs  affixed  to 
wheels  pivoted,  some  perpendicularly,  others  horizon- 
taUy ;  in  short,  the  prototypes  of  the  "  merry-go-rounds" 
and  "high-flyers"  of  pleasure  fairs  in  Britam  and  else- 
where.    In  winter  they  sped  down  ice  hills  on  their 
small  sledges  (tobogganing),  and  few  only  took  pleasure 
in  field  sports,  trapping  birds  and  animals  being  part  of 
the  business  of  the  lives  of  most ;  coursing  and  falconry 
the  privilege  of  the  Tsar  and  his  suite. 

In  winter  when  the  boyard  stirred  out  of  doors  it 
was  always  in  his  sledge,  where  he  lay  upon  a  carpet 
in  the  skin  of  a  polar  bear.  The  sledge  was  drawn  by 
a  single  horse  "well  decked,"  a  little  boy  astride  its 
back,  and  servants  of  the  boyard  stood  upon  the  tail  of 

the  sledge.  . 

As  traders  they  had  an  unenviable  reputation.  "  ihe 
people  of  Moscow  are  more  cunning  and  deceitful  than 
all  others,  their  honour  being  especially  slack  in  busi- 
ness contracts— of  which  fact  they  themselves  are  by 
no  means  ignorant  for,  whenever  they  traffic  with 
foreigners,  they  pretend,  in  order  to  attam  greater 
credit,  that  they  are  not  men  of  Moscow  but  strangers. 
The  market  was  in  the  Kitai  Gorod.  There  the  foreign 
merchants  had  their  warehouses,  and  for  centuries  a 
Gostinnoi  Dvor,  not  unlike  the  bazaar  of  Stamboul, 
occupied  the  site  of  the  recently  erected  New  Rows 

237 


f\ 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

(Novi  Riadi),  but  even  at  the  present  day  the  picturesque 
IS  not  extirpated  from  the  wholesale  market.  The 
Starai  Gostinnoi  Dvor  has  quite  a  charm  of  its  own, 

and    the    adventurous    sightseer 
who,  not    content   with    pas^ng 
through    it    from    the    llyinka, 
turns  off  into  the  alleys  furthest 
from    the     Krasnce     Ploshchad 
towards  the  wall  of  the  Kitai- 
gorod,  will  see  curious 
courtyards  having 
large  galleries  around 
them ;    huge    hatch- 
ways  communicating 
with  the   vast   vaults 
and     stores     below, 
^v,:       Quaint  shops  line  the  wall 
-.  4.J-- of  the   Kitai-gorod  from 
the  Varvarka  gate  right  up 
to  the  Nikolskaya  ;  with  a 
sort  of  permanent  rag  fair 
at  that  end,  where,  too, 
from  the   introduction    of 
prmtmg,  the  stalls  and  shops  of  the  booksellers  have 
been  located.     Another  surviving  market  for  miscel- 
laneous   articles— from    old    ikons    and    bludgeons    to 
picked  up   trinkets    and    immense    samovars— is   held 
from  six  o'clock  till  noon  on  Sunday  mornings  around 
the  bukharev  Bashnia.     From  time  immemorial  a  great 
feir  for  frozen  fish  and  game  has  been  held  outside  the 
Kitai-gorod  wall  as  soon  as  winter's  frost  sets  in.     In 
this  commercial  district  are  various  old  churches  of  in- 
terest and,  in  the  Cherkassky  pereulok,  the  place  of 
legal  combat  for  those  who  justified  their  cause  by  an 
appeal  to  strength  and  skill. 

In  the  administration  of  justice  much  was  lackine 
238 


•<    3 


?•>.  ' 


WALL   or   THE    KITAI-GOROD. 
VARVARKA    VOROT 


Ancient  Customs  and  Quaint  Survivals 

the  principle  of  the  paternal  rule  of  the  sovereign 
necessitating  direct  appeal  by  means  of  a  petition. 
Later,  a  Prikase  or  office  of  direction  was  established, 
and  this  was  followed  by  others  empowered  with  the 
control  of  affairs  relating  respectively  to  carmen, 
Siberia,  criminals,  etc.  As  in  all  countries,  misde- 
meanours  against  the  property  or  liberties  of  indi- 
viduals was  regarded  as  a  matter  for  personal  redress 
by  the  party  aggrieved  ;  only  those  agamst  the  crown 
called  for  the  active  interference  of  the  sovereign  through 
his  body-guard.  The  use  of  torture  and  some  western 
methods  of  judicial  procedure  were  introduced  by 
Sophia  Palealogus  and  the  Italians  who  followed  her, 
and  were  grafted  upon  native  customs. 

In  the  reign  of  Ivan  the  Terrible,  legal  procedure 

was  as  follows  : — 

«  When  any  dispute  arises  they  appoint,  in  the  first  place, 
the  iTna  owners  to  Lt  as  judges  and  these  i  unable  to^settle  th 
disDute    refer  the  case  to  a  higher  magistrate.      1  he   com 
pK;  ::ks  the  magistrate  for  leave  to  ---on  ^.s  ad^^^^^^^^ 
io  court;  the  leave  granted,  he  calls  an  ^"^"^^^^J^"^^^^^^^ 
cites  the  accused  and  hurries  him  along  to  the  court      The  at 
tendant  keeps  scourging  the  man  about  ^^efms  with  the 
knout,  until  he  can  bring  forward  someone  who  ^^J''^^^^^ 
can  satisfv  the  law.     If  he  has  no  friend  to  go  bail  tor  him 
h^   e^eaVt  gtasping  him  by  the  neck,  drags  h;-/^ng^-^^ 
subject?  him  to  blows,  until  before  the  court  to  P^^^^^^  ^^^^^ 
If  ii  be  a  suit  to  recover  a  f^^^'/J^^^f J^S,    nd  r^pliesVha; 
magistrate  whether  he  is  in  debt  to  the  P^*^"""' ^".  „.  ^„„  ^an 
he  is  not  in  his  debt.    Then  the  judge  asks,   ^^.^^^y^'^^^. 
vou  make  denial ! '     The  defendant  answers,  *  Upon  my  oath. 
Thereupon  the  s;rgeant  is  forbidden  by  the  magistrate    o  ad- 
mS  further  blo'ws,  until  the  evidence  makes  the  ca-  f  "- 
«  The  Muscovites  are  exempt  from  a  g^ea^  ^ve    °    Eve^ 
munity.  in  that  they  have  no  pettifogging  lawyers.     Even^ 
man  conducts    his  own  case,  and  the  P\^;"\^°\j^'J^;,f„^^^^^^^^^ 
and   defence  ot  the  accused  are   ^.^^'"^/^'^  '^"^en^e^ee  Lt 
the  form  of  written  petitions,  craving  ^^^  ^J"'^^,"!"'?.".?  aU 
his  hands.     When  each  party  ha^PP^ort^^^^^^^^^^^^      -h^^^J 
the  areuments  available,  the  judge  asKs  mc 

6  239 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

any  arguments  remain.  He  answers  that  he  himself,  or  his 
champion  for  him,  will,  with  a  strong  hand,  make  good  his 
accusation  on  the  person  of  his  opponent,  and  he  further 
demands  leave  to  engage  with  him  in  single  combat.  Liberty 
to  fight  is  accorded  both  disputants,  who  rush  simultaneously 
to  the  onset.  But  if  one  or  both  be  not  strong  enough  to 
fight,  they  engage  professional  pugilists  as  substitutes.  These 
men  enter  the  lists  armed,  chiefly  with  a  war-club  and  a  hunt- 
ing-pole. The  fighting  is  on  foot.  He  whose  champion  is 
beaten  is  cast  at  once  in  prison,  where  he  is  most  shamefully 
treated,  until  he  ends  his  dispute  with  his  enemy.  If  of  high 
rank  it  is  not  allowed  to  get  proxies.  If  a  poor  man  has 
ii^urred  a  debt,  and  is  unable  to  pay,  the  creditor  carries  him 
off  and  makes  him  labour  for  him,  yea  he  even  lets  out  his 
services  on  hire  to  someone  else,  until  by  his  labour  he  fills  up 
the  amount  of  his  debt." 

Harry  Best,  an  Englishman,  made  good  his  claim 
against  a  defaulter  in  a  trial  by  combat,  which  resulted 
in  an  immediate  petition  by  the  Muscovites  to  the  Tsar, 
to  forbid  foreigners  engaging  in  the  lists  with  citizens. 
As  for  criminals :  thieves  were  imprisoned  and  knouted 
but  were  not  hanged  for  a  first  offence ;  for  a  second 
offence,  a  thief  lost  the  nose  or  an  ear  and  was  branded 
on  the  forehead  ;  the  third  offence  was  punished  with 
crucifixion,  which  was  a  customary  penalty  long  after 
the  days  of  Ivan  IV.      Impalement  in  various  ways 
was  also  practised  ;  heretics  were  burned  ;  false-coiners 
boiled  in  oil ;  during  winter  the  condemned  were  thrust 
under  the  ice  and  drowned.     The  long   category   of 
barbarous  punishments  borrowed  from  the  west,  being 
minutely  followed  in  addition  to  excisions,  amputations, 
mutilations  and  cruelties  of  local  origin.     One  of  these 
may  be   mentioned,   "the  death  by   10,000  pieces," 
when  the  condemned  was  cut  away  bit  by  bit  and  the 
parts  seared  to  prevent  death  by  haemorrhage  before  it 
was  necessary  to  attack  a  vital  part.     Another  form  of 
it  was  to  insert  a  hook  under  a  rib  and  pull  the  bone 
out   of   the   side — the    Muscovite    equivalent   of   the 
240 


Ancient  Customs  and  Qjuaint  Survivals 

western  method  of  extorting  money  from  Jews  by  the 
extraction  of  tooth  after  tooth.  Ivan  "  Groznoi " 
practised  even  worse  cruelties.  The  widow  of  one  of 
his  victims  he  put  astride  a  coarse  rope  and  drew  her  to 
and  fro  upon  it  until  sawn  through — in  this  rivalling 
the  excesses  of  enthusiastic  religious  persecutors  in  the 
Netherlands.  More  refined  was  his  fiendish  practice 
of  hanging  in  the  doorway  of  a  boyard's  house  his 
wife,  child,  or  some  other  loved  one  of  the  boyard,  then 
compel  the  man  to  go  to  and  fro  past  the  corpse  that 
day  by  day  became  more  repulsive.  Worse  even  than 
this  did  Ivan  "  Groznoi,"  the  cruel  Tsar,  but  his  worst 
need  not  be  mentioned  unless,  at  some  future  time,  men 
name  him  not  the  "Terrible,"  but  call  him  the 
"  Great." 

In  the  days  of  Peter  the  Great  men  were  still  im- 
paled or  crucified  ;  were  burned  in  small  pens  filled 
with  straw  ;  were  beheaded  on  a  block  and  "  hanged 
as  elsewhere."  Le  Bruyn  says,  one  day  he  saw  a 
man  burned  alive,  and  in  another  part  of  the  town  a 
woman  buried,  with  small  tapers  burning  near  her; 
and  "  all  executions  with  such  silence,  that  what  takes 
place  at  one  end  of  the  town  is  unknown  at  the  other.** 
Afterwards,  were  such  barbarities  as  the  Empress 
Elizabeth  ordered  to  be  inflicted  upon  the  Boyarina 
Lapunof,  and  still  later  such  cruelties  as  the  Countess 
Soltikov  exercised  on  her  serfs.  In  fact  the  tale  of 
Moscow's  woe  was  not  told  until  the  advent  to  the 
throne  of  that  greatest  of  dead  Tsars,  Alexander  II., 
the  true  reformer  of  Russia. 

In  the  olden  days  the  bearers  of  too  illustrious  names 
were  forbidden  to  marry  ;  others  might  not  marry 
without  permission  first  obtained ;  leave  was  necessary 
before  one  could  carry  arms.  In  times  of  peace  it  was 
unusual  for  weapons  to  be  worn,  a  staff  shod  with  steel 
took  the  place  of  sword  or  dagger,  the  voievodes  only 

ft  241 


The  Story  of  Moscow 


wore  side  arms  generally.  Trade  was  the  privilege  of 
the  Tsar,  and  those  to  whom  he  granted  the  right; 
pen  work  was  always  done  by  humble  secretaries  or  diaks 

in  the  end  they  became  the  masters,  rather  than  the 

servants  of  their  employers. 

In  their  bearing  towards  their  superiors,  ecclesiastic 
and  secular,  the  Russian  was  abject  in  his  deference ; 
the  customary  mode  of  address  being  similar  to  that  of 
the  east.    In  Byzantium  the  petitioner  prostrated  himself 
and  called,  "  May  I  speak  and  yet  live  ?  "     In  Moscow 
the  Russ  cried,  "  Bid  me  not  to  be  chastised,  bid  me 
speak,  I  the  humble,  etc.,"  and  in  Russian  a  petition, 
literally,  is  a  "  beating  of  the  forehead  "  before  superi- 
ority.    Peter  the  Great  did  much  to  discourage  the 
abject  prostration  of  his  subjects  before  the  property  of 
the  crown,  but  as  late  as  the  reign  of  the  Emperor 
Nicholas  some  serfs  were  compelled  to  uncover  when 
passing  any  mansion  of  their  lord,  whilst  other  nobles 
expressly  forbade  it.     The  Church    never   expressly 
forbade  prostration  before  sacred  objects  as  Peter  did 
before  secular  property,   so   in  that,   the  old   custom 
survives.     But  it  is  probably  owing  to  the  earlier  use, 
and  not  particularly  to  the  image  of  our  Saviour  over 
the  Spasski  Gate,  that  it  is  customary  still  to  uncover 
when   passing   to   or  from   the  Kremlin   by  the  state 
entrance.     For  in  Russia  when  a  practice  has  been 
once  enjoined  by  a  person  in  authority  it  will  be  con- 
tinued until  expressly  forbidden.     It  is  said  that  many 
years  ago  a  distinguished  visitor  to  one  of  the  royal 
residences  inquired  why  it  was  thought  necessary  to 
station  a  sentry  in  the  centre  of  a  grassplot  in  the 
pleasure  grounds.     It  was  then  discovered  that  once 
upon  a  time,  a  Tsaritsa,  long  deceased,  had  noticed  an 
early  snow-drop  budding  forth  at  that  spot,  and  ex- 
pressed her  wish  that  the  flower  should  be  protected. 
To  ensure  its  safety  a  sentry  mounted  guard,  and  so 
242 


Ancient  Customs  and  Quaint  Survivals 

for  many  years,  day  and  night,  in  all  seasons,  a  sentry 
continued  to  be  posted  there  ;  for,  although  the  circum- 
stances had  been  forgotten,  the  order  was  conscientiously 
obeyed. 

The  rites  of  the  orthodox  church  are  not  subject  to 
change,  and  the  ceremonies  of  to-day  are  practically  the 
same  as  they  were  centuries  ago.  One  of  the  most 
characteristic  is  connected  with  the  periodical  removal 
of  some  sacred  picture  from  its  ikonostas  to  a  special 
service  in  a  church  dedicated  to  some  other  saint,  or 
associated  with  a  particular  episode  in  the  life  of  our 
Saviour.  After  a  preliminary  service,  the  ikon  is  taken 
down  and  reverently  borne  away  by  the  priests  appointed, 
attended  by  prelates,  deacons,  acolytes,  choristers  and 
the  bearers  of  "standards."  These  standards — znamiay 
literally  "token" — are  akin  to  the  banners  of  the 
western  Church ;  they  are  of  diverse  form,  usually  of 
metal,  adorned  with  gems,  and  always  have  either  a 
representation  of  a  saint  or  some  sacred  symbol  upon 
them.  Some  are  but  a  fit  setting  to  a  small  ikon  ;  many 
are  beautiful  specimens  of  metal  work,  others  are  of 
curious  design,  all  are  attractive ;  and  when,  sometimes 
to  the  number  of  a  hundred  or  more,  they  are  carried 
aloft  through  the  streets  of  the  old  town,  they  add 
greatly  to  the  stateliness  of  an  impressive  pageant. 

It  is  on  such  occasions  as  these — and  they  are  many 
— that  the  attitude  of  the  people  towards  their  church 
may  be  studied  with  advantage,  and  the  beholder  will 
realise  how  strong  is  the  affection  of  the  orthodox  for 
all  that  pertains  to  their  religion.  The  great  reverence 
shown  the  symbols,  the  fervour  and  sincerity  of  the 
greeting,  are  convincing  evidence  of  deeply-rooted 
belief,  simple  piety  and  existing  close  relations  between 
the  Church  and  people.  In  short,  a  procession  of  this 
kind  does  more  than  suggest  the  religious  phase  of 
mediaevalism,  it  is  a  revelation  of  its  actual  potency. 

243 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

Easter  is  of  course  the  great  festival ;  then  the  Great 
Bell  of  Moscow  thunders  forth  that  Christ  has  risen, 
and  the  people  embrace  each  other  and  with  pious  glee 
call  « Vosskresenni  Khristos"  much  as    in  the  west 
acquaintance  greet  each  other  with  good  wishes  at  the 
new    year.      Students    of  comparative    ecclesiasticism 
cannot  afford  to  miss  witnessing  the  celebration  of  the 
feast  in  Moscow  any  more  than  they  can  that  in  Rome. 
On  Trinity  Sunday  not  only  are  the  churches  strewn 
with  newly  cut  herbage  and  decorated  with  budding 
branches,  but.  all   houses  "sport    greenery"— it  is   a 
combination  of  the  old  time  customs  of  May-Day  and 
Yuletide  in  the  west.     The  sacred  ikons  figure  in  all 
ceremonies,  and  private  individuals  in  times  of  distress 
requisition  them.     They  are  conveyed  with  consider- 
able pomp  to  the  bedside  of  the  dying,  or  to  the  homes 
of  the  fortunate,  pious  in  their  rejoicing.     The  church 
is  all  inclusive  and  makes  no  distinction  ;  is  as  ready  to 
comfort  the  most  notorious  sinner  as  it  is  the  devout 
communicant  of  irreproachable  rectitude  and  honour. 

The  ikon  most  desired  is  that  known  as  the  Iberian 
Mother  of  God,  whose  chapel  stands  before  the 
Vosskresenski  Gate.  Close  by  a  carriage  and  six 
remains  in  attendance,  and  usually  towards  evening  it 
starts  forth  on  long  journeys  across  the  town,  its 
round  often  unfinished  when  morning  dawns.  Its 
place  on  the  ikonostas  is  filled  by  a  copy,  but  the 
original  is  at  once  restored  on  its  return.  Men  un- 
cover as  the  carriage  passes  by;  those  near,  when  it 
is  carried  to  or  from  a  house,  prostrate  themselves  or 
attempt  to  kiss  it,  some  endeavour  so  to  arrange  that 
the  picture  must  be  carried  over  them.  Another  ikon 
in  request  is  that  kept  at  the  Vladimirski  Vorot ;  all 
have  great  homage  paid  them.  Priests,  drivers,  at- 
tendants, are  uncovered,  even  in  the  depth  of  winter; 
and  to  be  appointed  to  any  post  in  connection  with  it 

244 


Ancient  Customs  and  Quaint  Survivals 

is  counted  a  great  honour.     It  is  said  that  the  offerings 
of  the  thankful  in  return  for  the  privileges  conferred  by 
"visiting"  have  amounted  to  as  much  as  ;£  10,000  in 
a  single  year  in  respect  of  one  picture 
alone.     This  money  is  part  cf  the  church    |  yi 
revenue — the  servants  attending  with  the 
ikon  receiving  presents  in  addition. 

Originally    the    private    ikon    was 
picture   of   the   patron   saint   of   its 
owner.     As  every  day  in  the  year  is 
a  saint's  day,  the  saint  of  the  day  on 
which  a  person  happened  to  be  born 
was  considered  his  patron ;  often  he 
took  that  saint's  name,  if  some 
other  were  chosen  then  the  re- 
cipient  must   be  christened  on  ' 
the  day  assigned  to  that  saint,   - 
and  thus  the   "name"  day  is 
distinct  from  the   birthday  and  is 
observed,  whilst  the  anniversary  of 
one's   birth   may  or   may  not   be 
celebrated.     Often,  indeed  usually, 
an  ikon  of  the  Virgin  now  occupies 
the    "sacred    corner."      It   is    so 
placed  that  it  must  be  visible  on 
entering  the  room  and  receive  the 
obeisance    of  the    orthodox  ;    it  is  also,   as  it  were, 
to   be    a  witness    of  all    that   takes    place    before   it. 
To  do  anything  wrong  in  the  presence  of  an  ikon 
makes  the  fault  the  greater  ;  persistent  evil-doers  screen 
the  ikon  before  wilfully  transgressing.     It  was  even 
made  one  of  the  charges  in  the  indictment  of  the  false 
Tsar  Dmitri  that  he  neglected  to  veU  the  ikon  the  day 
of  his  marriage.     To  western  minds  such  an  attitude 
is  as  incomprehensible  as  the  action  related  m  one  of 
Tolstoi's  stories,  of  the  pious  peasants  who,  about  to 

245 


A   CHASTOK 


The  Story  of  Moscoiv 

murder  their  offspring,  knelt  reverently  by  the  hole  they 
had  made  in  the  ice  and  prayed  to  God  that  He  would 
protect  and  bless  them.     But  the  Russian  understands. 

The  private  ikon,  or  some  other  sacred  picture, 
always  precedes  the  corpse  at  the  funerals  of  the 
orthodox.  The  obsequies  of  the  wealthy  are  still 
conducted  with  great  pomp ;  the  modern  practice  of 
hiding  the  cofiin  beneath  wreaths  and  crosses  being 
combined  with  the  more  austere  solemnities  of  a 
statelier  age.  The  church  of  St  Sophia,  on  the  south 
side  of  the  Moskva,  opposite  the  Kremlin,  is  much 
used  in  connection  with  military  funerals  and  those  of 
a  public  character.  The  peasant's  cofiin  is  simply 
covered  with  a  pall,  and  the  bier  carried  through 
the  streets  shoulder-high,  with  no  other  pomp  than 
the  ikon  reverently  borne  some  paces  ahead  of  the 
cortege.  The  hands  of  the  dead  one  are  closed 
over  a  paper  on  which  is  printed  a  prayer  for  the 
repose  of  his  soul,  the  deceased's  baptismal  name  being 
written  in,  and  this  is  the  only  justification  for  the 
assertions  of  the  early  writers  that  "the  Russ  when 
he  dies  hath  his  passport  to  Saint  Nicholas  buried 
with  him." 

If  it  is  the  practice  to  decorate  the  ikon  with  pre- 
sented jewels,  it  was  not  only  counted  a  sin  but  a 
crime  to  take  any  back  again.  Collins  says  that 
the  punishment  for  so  doing  was  the  loss  of  a  hand, 
as  befell  a  woman  "  who  thought  she  had  but  lent 
to  the  image "  she  favoured.  With  the  private 
ikon  "  they  do  as  they  will,  decorating  the  ikon  one 
day  and  with  the  same  tawdry  themselves  the  next," 
an  indication  that  the  ignorant  peasant  may  treat  his 
ikon  much  as  the  West  African  negroes  treat  their 
fetiches. 

A  common  object  in  Moscow  of  to-day  is  the  watch- 
tower  or  chastok,  where  night  and  day  sentinels  patrol 
246 


Ancient  Customs  and  Quaint  Survivals 

on  the  look  out  for  fires,  not  nowadays  so  frequent  or 
so  disastrous  as  formerly,  since  the  erection  of  wooden 
houses  within  the  town  limits  has  been  forbidden.     In 
summer,  when  the  signal  is  run  up  on  the.sufF,  numerous 
one  horse  drays,  each  with  a  small  barrel  of  water,  hurry 
to  the  scene  and  in  somewhat  primitive  fashion  attempt 
to  quench  the  conflagration.     If  a  wooden  house  the 
fire  usually  subsides  when  the  roof  with  its  thick  layer 
of  earth  between  rafters  and  plates  collapses.     Dearly 
paid  for  experience  has  taught  the  Muscovite  how  the 
Lead   of    fires    may   best   be   stopped   where   water 
is    scarce    and   hydrants   far   distant.      Primitive   and 
medieval  in  many  things,  Moscow  reveals  how    he 
people  of  long  past  ages  overcame  the  difficulties  m- 
ddental  to  life  in  large  cities,  and  a  great  fire  wi 
bring  together   such  an   array  of  water   carts   as  will 
convince  the  beholder  of  the  very  thorough  orgamsa- 
tion  of  a  department  charged  with  the  duty  of  sate- 

^"^  nten^the  vehide^e'xhibit  a  survival  from  mediaevalism 
since  each  horse  is  harnessed  beneath  a  duga  or  piece  ot 
bent  wood  intended  to  strengthen  the  shafts,  as  it  is  by 
them  alone  the  load  is  hauled,  and  traces  are  unknown. 
The  dum,  just  as  it  is  to-day,  was  used  with  the  hrst 
wheeled  vehicles  introduced  to  Russia  and  will  persist 
for  ave.     But  the  observant  stranger  will  not  lack  enter- 
tainment in  Moscow,  especially  if  he  shows  generous 
toleration  of  primitive  customs.     If  a  house  be  buildmg, 
the  simple  and  superstitious  working  man,  his  ongmal 
intention  being  now  directed  by  the  church  to  a  mani- 
festation of  piety,  will  first  raise  above  all  the  scaffolding 
a  well    made,    often   decorated,    cross,    so   seekmg   a 
blessing  from  the  good  by  the  same  sign  that  his  early 
ancestors  sought  to  appease  the  powers  of  evil.      Ihe 
carter,  whose  horse  drops  with  heat  sickness,  will  get 
the  animal  on  his  legs  again  and  cause  him  three  times 

247 


ll 


n 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

to  cross  the  duga  he  purposely  places  thwartwise.  To 
those  versed  in  symbols  an  act  as  easy  to  understand  as 
the  every  day  remedy  of  the  kitchenmaid  who  puts  the 
poker  across  the  bars  of  the  grate  to  prevent  the  newly 
lighted  fire  from  being  extinguished — a  not  commend- 
able practice  yet  effective  epithem.  Sprite  ridden  the 
Moscow  peasant  is  still,  but  though  **it"  moves  him 
to  do  many  things  of  which  he  knows  not  the  reason, 
merely  obeying  the  prompting  intuitively,  he  has  forgotten 
what  this  "  it "  is  that  must  be  appeased.  A  bridge,  a 
girder  cantilever  across  a  wide  estuary  or  a  couple  of 
planks  across  a  ditch,  is  not  finished  till  some  trifle  has 
been  cast  into  the  water,  in  this  the  mujik  being  not 
unlike  the  skipper  of  a  Grimsby  trawler  who  tosses  a 
new  coin  into  the  ocean  before  lowering  his  net. 

The  enthusiast  may  attempt  to  trace  the  direct  con- 
nection between  baksheesh,  nachai,  and  the  extortion  of 
gratuities  generally,  with  the  ancient  practice  of  trifling 
sacrifices  to  some  mythical  demon ;  both  old  as  the  offer 
of  a  cock  by  Socrates  to  -^sculapius,  and  world-wide  as 
the  application  of  a  door- key  to  the  spine  as  a  cure  for 
nasal  haemorrhage.  In  such  matters  may  hap  Moscow 
is  as  other  towns,  and  neither  mediaeval  nor  peculiar. 

But  whosoever  of  a  summer's  night  will  wander  into 
the  suburbs  will  hear  the  policeman  on  his  round  beating 
two  pieces  of  wood  together  with  aggravating  rhythm. 
If  the  listener  be  country-bred  the  noise  will  remind 
him  of  the  farm  boy  of  old  days  who,  with  wooden 
clapper,  scared  birds  from  the  corn.  If  he  be  so 
curious  as  to  examine  the  instrument  he  will  find  it 
to  be  a  piece  of  board  with  a  handle,  and  a  wooden 
ball  attached  to  it  with  a  piece  of  twine.  The  knock- 
ing of  the  two  together  to  produce  an  intermittent  whirr 
is  accomplished  by  a  curious  turn  of  the  wrist.  The 
watchman  will  explain  that  the  noise  is  to  warn  garden- 
robbers  and  other  depredators  of  his  coming,  or  to  advise 
24a 


Ancient  Customs  and  Quaint  Survivals 

his  employers  that  he  is  about  his  duty.  The  niost 
learned  ethnologist  of  the  west  says  that  an  identical 
instrument,  handled  in  the  same  manner,  is  employed 
by  the  minor  priests  of  a  wild  race  in  the  far  far  east 
to  drive  away  evil  spirits  from  the  native  temple. 

Further  a-field  —  a  twenty-five  kopeck    ride  on  a 
hneika    from    the    Trubaya— Ostankina    is    reached. 
There  is  a  curious  and  elegant  church  of  red  brick 
built  by   Moscow   artisans  in  the  golden  age,  at  the 
cost  of  the  boyard  Mikhail  Cherkassky.     Near  by  is 
a  great  wooden  palace,  stuccoed  and  prim,  the  property 
of  the  Sheremetievs.     Passing  through  its  park  where 
Le  Bruyn  shot  his  great  crane  flying  by  a  single  bullet 
from  his  musket,  and  where  the  upper  reaches  of  the 
Yauza  are  still  haunted  by  wild  fowl,  is  a  thick  wood 
to  the  north  of  the  stream,  and  in  the  middle  of  that 
near  the  path,  a  clearing  where  at  midday  a  drove  of 
mares  are  coralled  and  milked  by  men  who  speak  a 
strange  tongue,  and  are  of  quite  diflPerent  appearance 
to  the  Muscovites.     A  mile  further  on  is  their  village, 
near   a  large  pool.     It  is  a  poor,  insignificant,  rather 
dirty    and    very    untidy    place.     Mordva    its    name; 
Mordva  its  people,  whose  ancestors,  many  centuries  ago, 
left  their   home    among   the  Altai  Mountains  on  the 
confines  of  Manchuria  and  spread  westward  over  Russia, 
fighting  with  their  later  conquerors  almost  to  their  own 
extermination.     Various  isolated  groups  of   this   once 
powerful  race  are  scattered  about  Russia,  mixing  but 
little   with    its    people.     These,    who    through    long 
centuries  have  been  resident  in  the  heart  of  Muscovy, 
seems  as  incongruous  and  impossible  as  would  be  the 
present  occupation  of  Hampstead  Heath  by  survivors 
of  ancient  Picts  in  the   full   glory   of  their  primitive 
customs.     It  is  nearest  to  the  great  towns  that  primitive 
methods  and  beliefs  persist  most  strongly,  and  just  as 
in  the  villages  about  London,  antiquated  farming  im- 

249 


T 


I  ', 


,1 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

plements  and  old  country  superstitions  are  more  plentiful 
than  in  the  rural  districts  of  England,  so  near  Moscow 
the  old  customs  and  manners  die  hard.  In  villages 
within  easy  walk  of  the   Kremlin,  mediaeval  practices 


I'iT' 


■TrPf^m 


PETROVSKl  MONA8TYR 


are  rife,  especially  during  the  celebration  of  marriages, 
and  the  performance  of  minor  domestic  pageants. 
The  curious,  if  persistent  and  lucky,  may  see  the 
bowl  of  Tantalus  presented  to  the  mother  of  the  bride 
of  yesterday,  and  as  the  liquor  escapes  the  cup  by 
the  hole  in  its  bottom  from  which  the  profferer  has 
removed  his  finger,  guess  at  the  significance  of  the 
custom  and  speculate  as  to  its  origin. 
250 


Ancient  Customs  and  Quaint  Survivals 

Within  the  town  almost  every  old  building  has  its 
legends.  Very  diverse  are  those  connected  with  the 
Lobnce  Mesto  on  the  Grand  Square.  It  derived  its 
name— literally  "the  place  of  a  skull"— from  the 
Golgotha  that  was  erected  there  for  the  Easter  Passion 
play  which  was  performed  yearly  before  the  church  of 
the  Trinity  disappeared.  From  time  immemorial  it 
has  been  the  place  of  public  assembly,  being  to  Moscow 
what  St  Paul's  Cross  was  to  old  London,  and  the 
perron  to  Liege.  Therefore,  as  all  who  have  studied 
the  migration  of  symbols  will  know,  not  only  is  it  of 
very  early  origin,  but  associated  with  stories  in  some 
form  common  to  all  peoples. 

Another  almost  universal  superstition  is  in  Moscow 
attached  to  the  Sukharev  Bashnia,  which  is  supposed 
to  be  the  feminine  complement  of  the  Ivan  Veliki 
tower  in  the  Kremlin.  The  people  call  the  Sukharev 
the  jena  (wife)  of  Ivan,  and,  according  to  tradition, 
Jack  and  Jenny  get  nearer  to  each  other  every  year. 

Visitors  for  whom  folk-lore  has  no  attraction  will 
look  for  the  picturesque  in  Moscow.  The  most 
characteristic  view,  the  prospect  the  tourist  expects,  is 
that  seen  by  turning  westward  along  the  boulevard 
from  the  Lubianka,  and  keeping  along  the  south  foot- 
path, near  the  wall,  watch  the  old  town  appear  little 
by  little  as  the  brow  of  the  hill  is  reached.     Houses 

of  all  sorts  and  colours— a  facjade  like  that  of  a 

classic  temple,  domes  blue,  green  and  golden,  the  red 
tower  of  a  Chastok,  a  medley  of  roofs  and  walls,  all 
these  will  appear  framed  in  the  foliage  of  the  trees  on 
the  boulevards,  and  those  overhanging  the  walls  of  the 
Rojdestvenka  Convent,  until  the  valley  of  the  Neglinnaia 
is  right  below  and  the  crosses  and  domes  of  the  Petrovski 
Monastery  are  disclosed  to  view.  Then  it  is  time  to 
cross  the  road  to  the  centre  of  the  boulevard  and  see 
Moscow  unfold  itself— walls  and  towers  changing  like 

251 


4 


\\ 


1 


I/I 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

the  coloured  fragments  in  a  kaleidoscope.  Opposite, 
where  the  bank  rises  to  the  Strastnoi  Monastery, 
was  once  the  old  village  of  Vissotski — older,  it  is 
said,  than  Moscow  town,  or  Kremlin,  or  even  the 
hall  of  Kuchkovo  and  the  twelfth  century  hamlet  on 
the  Chisty  Prud  at  the  back. 

Again,  ascend  the  belfry  of  St  Nikita  in  the  Gon- 
charevskaya ;  time — the  very  early  morning,  and  see 
the  rising  sun  glitter  on  the  domes  of  the  Kremlin, 
and  the  churches  of  the  Bielo  Gorod  ;  or,  when  it 
has  long  passed  the  meridian,  watch  the  afterglow 
reflected  from  the  thousand  domes,  tinting  the  white 
walls  from  the  balcony  of  Krinkin's  on  the  Hill  of 
Salutation.  Stay  on  and  watch  the  great  white  town, 
silent,  reposeful  and  glorious,  fade  into  the  haze  of 
the  "white-night";  see  it  shimmering  in  the  moon- 
light, or  the  glare  of  midday  sun  ;  sparkling  feebly 
in  the  blue  star  light,  or  glowing  like  a  new-cast 
ingot  in  the  blackness  of  winter's  midnight ;  see  it 
how,  when  and  where  you  may,  solve  the  enigma  of 
its  vitality  if  you  can — but  neither  doubt  its  strength, 
nor  question  its  beauty. 

HcnO.IHHCKOFO  pVKOK) 

Tbi,  KaKT.  xapiia  pasBHn, ; 

H  Ha^T.  Ma.IOK)  piiKOK) 

CTaai.  BCJHK^  H  anaMcnHTT,! 


252 


CHAPTER  XII 
The  Convents  and  Monasteries 

"These  are  the  haunts  of  meditation,— these 
The  scenes  where  ancient  bards  th'  inspiring  breath 
Esctatic  felt ;  and  from  the  world  retired, 
Conversed  with  angels  and  immortal  forms, 
On  gracious  errands  bent/'— Thomson. 

RUSSIAN  monks  all  belong  to  one  order,  that  based 
on  the  rule  of  St  Basil  the  Great,  practically  the 
only  order  of  "  black  "  clergy  recognised  by  the  Eastern 
Church      The  first  monastery  in  Russia  was  founded 
by  St  Anthony,  a  Russian  who,  after  living  some  time 
on  Mount  Athos,  returned  to  Kiev,  and  there,  m  1055, 
conjunctly  with  St  Theodosius,  established  the  Pecherski 
Monastery,  on  the  same  rule  as  that  of  the  Studemi- 
one  of  the  strictest  of  the  clerical  institutions  m  Con- 
stantinople.    The  Pecherski  still  ranks  highest  among 
the  monasteries  of  Russia.     The  one  of  greatest  im- 
portance in  Moscow,  though  not  the  most  ancient,  is 
S^at  of  the  Miracles  (Chudov)  founded  in  the  fourteenth 
century  by   St  Alexis,  the  Metropolitan.     It  stands 
within  the  Kremlin,  between  the  two  Imperial  palaces, 
on  a  spot  which  long  ago  was  a  part  of  the  enclosure 
around  the  dwelling  of  the  Tartar  bashkak,or  "  resident 
At  the  time  when  one  Chani-Bek  was  khan,  his  wife, 
Taidula,  fell  ill  and  was  healed  by  Alexis,  to  whom 
out  of  gratitude  she  presented  her  gold  signet  ring  with 
its  effigy  of  the   Great  Dragon,  and   a  site  for  the 

253 


y 


i1 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

Monastery  of  the  Miracles.     The  first  building  was 
erected  in  1365,  and  the  monastery  long  served  as  the 
residence  of  the  primates  of  Moscow ;  it  has  been  many 
times  destroyed  and  rebuilt ;  the  present  building  dates 
from  the  reign  of  the  first  Romanof,  and,  at  the  time 
of  writing,  is  in  course  of  extensive  alteration.     Passing 
before  the  Church,  with  the  curious  paper  ikon  outside, 
a  large  gateway  will  be  found  in  the  angle  where  the 
Chudov  buildings  abut  against  those   of  the    smaller 
Imperial  palace ;  passing  through  this,  the  visitor  will 
find  himself  in  a  large  Courtyard ;  the  Church  of  St 
Michael  is  on  the  right,  a  small  railed-in  cemetery  among 
the  trees  on  the  left.    The  Monastery,  a  mean,  dilapi- 
dated, straggling  two-storeyed  building,  extends  almost 
completely  around  the  quadrangle  ;  the  chief  rooms,  on 
the  bel-etage,  communicate  with  a  long  outside  covered 
gallery,  closely  resembling  the  yard  of  an  old  London 
inn,  which  is  reached  by  the  perron  in  the  western 
corner.    The  Church  of  St  Michael,  the  Archistratigus, 
was  built  conjointly  with  the  Monastery  in  1365,  rebuilt 
in  1 504,  and  later  restored  in  its  primitive  style,  so  has 
preserved  even  more  than  any  other  church  in  Moscow 
the  original  character  of  Muscovite  ecclesiastic  archi- 
tecture.    The  interior  is  well  worth  seeing,  but  access 
is  not  easy ;  the  best  time  is  after  early  matins,  which 
are  celebrated  about  thrice  weekly  at  7  a.m. 

The  frescoes  are  very  primitive,  and  for  Moscow, 
original.  The  old-fashioned  low  ikonostas  is  of  a  type 
common  to  "  wooden  Russia  "  ;  the  ancient  ikons  call 
only  for  the  attention  of  the  student,  but  on  the  High 
Altar  is  a  tabernacle  in  the  form  of  a  church  with 
twelve  domes  which  has  wider  interest.  It  is  the  work 
of  Remizov  in  the  reign  of  Mikhail  Theodorovich. 
Within  the  courtyard,  traces  of  Tartar  graves  have  been 
found  ;  and  the  cemetery  contains  the  tombs  of  Edeger 
— the  last  "Tsar  "  of  Kazan,  1 565 — and  of  many  Mos- 
254 


The  Convents  and  Monasteries 

cow  families,  as  the  Trubetskis,  Kovanskis,  Sherbatovs, 
etc.     The  state  rooms  are  still  used  by  the  head  of  the 
Church  in  Moscow  ;  they  look  out  towards  Ivan  Veliki, 
immediately  above  the  little  window  at  which  the  Holy 
Bread  is  sold.     Although  the  monastery  has  been  the 
scene  of  many  important  events  in  connection  with  the 
history  of  the  Church  and  of  Moscow— it  was  here  that 
Maxim,  the  Greek,  studied,  and  Latin  was  first  taught, 
I  (:o6— there  is  nothing  either  in  the  refectory  or  com- 
mon rooms  connected  with  them,  for  the  monastery  was 
erected  during  the  plague  riots  of  1 7  7 1  and  spoiled  by  the 
French.    The  church  of  the  Patriarch  Alexis  is  entered 
from  the  Tsar's  Square  through  a  portico,  of  a  pseudo- 
Gothic  style,  designed  by  Kasakov  in  the  eighteenth 
century,  but  the  church  itself  was  constructed  in  1 686,  and 
the  remains  of  St  Alexis  the  Metropolitan  then  con- 
veyed there  in  the  presence  of  the  Tsarevna  Sophia  and 
the  boy-Tsars  Ivan  V.  and  Peter  I.    It  occupies  the  site 
of  an  earlier  church  founded  in  1483,  and  contains  the 
incorruptible  remains  of  the  Saint.    Alexis,  the  wonder- 
worker, was  descended  from  a  boyard  family  named 
Pleskov.     Born  in  1292,  he  passed  twenty-two  years 
of  his  life  in  Moscow,  a  student  of  the  Bogo-yavlenski 
Monastery  ;   after  admission  he  was  for  twelve  years 
one  of  the  household  of  the  Archbishop,   and  later 
became  bishop  of  Vladimir,  and  Metropolitan  of  Kief. 
His  care  of  the  two  child  princes  of  Moscow,  his 
direction  of  Dmitri  Donskoi  and  sturdy  championship 
of  Moscow,  and  his  efforts  to  maintain  its  supremacy, 
endeared  him  to  the  people.     When  he  died  mi  378, 
at  the  age  of  eighty-five,  he  was  buried  withm  the 
Chudov  monastery  he  had  founded;  there  in  1 439  his 
remains  were   discovered   undecayed,  and  miraculous 
qualities  attributed  to  them.      In   1519,  Balaam  the 
Metropolitan    informed    Vasili    Ivanovich,    then    the 
reigning  Grand-Duke,  that  the  blind  in  visiting  the 

255 


\ 


1 1 

I/I 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

tomb  of  Alexis  were  restored  to  sight.  Since  that 
date  the  memory  of  Alexis  has  been  held  in  highest 
reverence  by  the  orthodox,  and  in  the  public  esteem 
he  ranks  with  St  Peter,  first  among  the  Patron  Saints 
of  Moscow.  Consequently  the  church  is  one  of  the 
richest ;  it  was  spoiled  by  the  French,  who  cast  the 
silver  shrine  of  the  saint  into  the  melting  pot,  and  his 
moshi  were  found  under  a  heap  of  lumber  after  the 
flight  of  Napoleon.  Much  of  the  decoration  is  new, 
but  in  the  style  of  the  time  of  Alexis  Mikhailovich,  of 
which  the  pavement  is  particularly  characteristic.  The 
new  shrine  is  of  silver,  so  are  the  royal  doors  of  the 
sanctuary  ;  for  them  some  420  lbs  were  needed,  and 
the  tabernacle,  the  chandeliers  and  the  elaborate 
ikonostas  are  all  of  sterling  metal,  and  there  is  a 
magnificent  archiepiscopal  mitre  presented  by  Prince 
Potemkin.  The  original  coffin  of  the  saint  is  preserved 
in  a  glass  case  near  the  silver  shrine,  and  by  it  are  kept 
the  identical  pastoral  staff  he  used  in  Moscow,  and  other 
personal  relics.  Among  these  are  manuscript  copies 
of  the  New  Testament  executed  by  the  saint,  as  also 
his  holograph  will.  The  library  has  some  hundreds 
of  old  illuminated  and  other  manuscript  books,  in- 
cluding a  psalter  of  the  thirteenth  century,  and  a 
collection  of  old  printed  books  of  the  seventeenth 
century.  This  church,  the  adjoining  chapel  of  the 
Annunciation,  and  the  monastery  are  all  closely  as- 
sociated with  the  introduction  of  pedagogy  to  Moscow  ; 
it  was  here  that  the  first  scholastic  seminary  for  priests 
was  founded,  and  later  an  academy  was  developed. 
It  became  customary  for  parents  to  bring  their  children 
hither  before  their  entry  to  any  school,  in  order  that 
the  blessing  of  St  Alexis  might  be  asked,  and  some 
peasants  of  the  village  at  one  time  owned  by  the  saint 
make  a  pilgrimage  to  his  shrine  on  his  name  day,  and 
pray  for  their  "  Lord."  The  sacristy  has  a  valuable 
256 


The  Convents  and  Monasteries 


collection  of  old  plate ;  the  crosses,  panagies,  mitres, 
vases,  goblets,  etc.,  are  remarkable  for  their  beauty  and 
rich  decoration,  and  second  only  to  those  ot  the 
collection  in  the  sacristy  of  the  Patriarchs. 

Naturally  the  Monastery  of  the  Miracles  is  closely 
associated  with  the   more  renowned  of  the  wonder- 
working ikons  of  Russia.     The  most  celebrated  now 
existing  there  are:   the  trimorphic  paper  ikon  ot  the 
Holy  Trinity,  that  of  St  Nicholas  the  wonder-worker, 
and  that  of  St  Anastasia.     In   177 1,  when  Moscow 
was  decimated  by  the  plague,  it  was  believed  that  the 
ikon   of  the   Virgin    (Bogoloobski)    at  the   Varvarka 
Vorot  wrought  miraculous  cures.     It  was  so  thronged 
bv  worshippers  and  the  pestilent  stricken  that,  as  a 
measure    of    precaution,    the    Archbishop    Ambrose 
ordered  its  immediate  removal  to  the  Chudov  monastery, 
but  the  maddened  people  gathered  in  the  Kremlin  and 
threatened  that  they  would  not  leave  a  stone  ot  the 
monastery  standing  unless  the  ikon  was  at  once  restored. 
The  Archbishop  was  forced  to  give  way.     The  next 
day  he  was  dragged   by  the  mob  from  the  Donskoi 
monastery  where  he  was  hiding  and  massacred  by  the 
enraged  populace.     This  was  on  the  17th  September: 
from  that  date  the  plague  declined  and  the  daily  death- 
rate  of  700  returned  to  the  normal  average  with  the 

advent  of  winter.  ^   ,     ^,     ,      1^* 

FlankincT  the  eastern  wall  of  the  Chudov  Monastery 
are  the  buildings  of  the  Convent  of  the  Ascension 
( Vossnesenski),  the  entrance  to  which  is  from  the  large 
square  of  the  Kremlin  near  the  Redeemer  Gate. 
There  are  some  indications  that  this  nunnery  is  ot 
greater  antiquity  than  1393*  ^he  date  usually  assigned 
its  foundation.  Eudoxia,  the  wife  of  Dmitri  Donskoi, 
organised  the  institution,  and,  after  taking  the  veil  there, 
ordered  that  it  was  to  be  her  place  of  sepulture  also. 
The  buildings  were  destroyed  in  148  3— ninety  years 

R  257 


)! 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

after  their  erection — again  in  1547,  1571,  1612,  1701, 
and  last  of  all  on  the  great  fire  of  All  Saints'  Day, 
1737.  Its  successive  rebuildings  are  due  to  the  great 
veneration  of  the  orthodox  for  the  tombs  of  their 
ancestors,  and  from  1407  its  cemetery  ranked  first  as 
the  place  of  sepulture  for  the  consorts  of  the  rulers  of 
Muscovy ;  some  thirty-five  were  interred  within  its 
walls  between  1407  and  1738. 

«  It  is  said  that  when  Eudoxia  retired  to  the  convent  in 
1389,  although  she  observed  the  appointed  fasts  rigorously  and 
within  the  walls  wore  heavy  weights  and  performed  arduous 
penances,  she  still  took  great  interest  in  the  affairs  of  the  outer 
world,  and  when  visiting  dressed  in  rich  robes  befitting  her 
former  state.  This  gave  rise  to  much  scandal,  which  she  re- 
futed by  exhibiting  to  her  accusers  the  effects  of  her  self- 
imposed  penances.  When  Tokhtamysh  destroyed  the  building 
in  1393  she  not  only  devoted  herself  to  the  task  of  founding 
a  better  community,  but  did  so  much  work  among  the  sick 
and  indigent  that  she  more  than  retrieved  her  character,  being 
worshipped  almost  as  a  saint  and  canonised  under  her  adopted 
name  of  Euphrosina,  revered  through  many  generations." 

The  cells  are  mean,  and  the  low  plain  fagade  not 
unlike  those  of  English  alms-houses  of  the  eighteenth 
century.  It  was  in  this  nunnery  that  Maria  Mniszek 
was  housed  prior  to  her  marriage  with  the  false  Dmitri, 
and  here,  too,  that  Maria  Nagoi  was  forced  to  recognise 
the  same  impostor  as  her  own  murdered  son.  The 
Cathedral  of  the  Ascension,  like  that  of  St  Michael  in 
the  Chudov,  is  of  a  primitive  type,  preserving  many  of 
the  characteristics  of  the  original  building  erected  by 
the  Tsar  Vasili  Ivanovich  in  1518;  the  five  domes 
have  not,  however,  the  common  bulbous  cupolas,  these 
resemble  inverted  cups — an  original  type.  The  mterior 
has  the  customary  four  pillars  supporting  the  central 
dome  ;  there  is  an  ikonostas  with  four  tiers  reaching 
to  the  arched  roof.  Of  the  sacred  pictures  the  most 
remarkable  are  that  of  the  Virgin  and  that  of  the 
258 


The  Convents  and  Monasteries 

Ascension ;   there  is  also   a  curious  one  in  the  north 
chapel  dedicated  to  Mary  the  Mother  of  the  Afflicted. 
The  tombs  of  the  Grand  Duchesses  are  arranged 
along  the  frescoed  walls,  north,  west  and  south ;  some 
are  of  the  white  stone  used  in  the  earliest  buildings  m 
Moscow,   others  of  brick ;    formerly  the  portraits  of 
those  interred   were   painted   on  the  walls  over  their 
tombs,  now  many  are  covered  with  splendidly  worked 
palls    of    native    design.       The    remains    of  Eudoxia 
(St    Euphrosina)   are  in  a  modern    shrine    of   silver, 
replacing  that  taken   by  the   French ;    on    the    right,    ^ 
near  the  south  wall,  is  the  tomb  of  another  Eudoxia 
(Shtrchnev),the  wife  of  Mikhail  Theodorovich  ;  then 
come   the  tombs   of  the  Miloslavski   and   Naryshkin, 
wives  of  his  son  the  Tsar  Alexis,  and  the  last  tomb  of 
all  is  that  of  another  Eudoxia,  the  much  tortured  first 
wife  of  Peter  the  Great.     Four  of  the  six,  or  more, 
wives  of  Ivan  the  Terrible  also  lie  here.     In  the  sacristy 
among  many  rich  relics  are  two  exquisitely  decorated 
copies  of  the  gospels ;    the  enamel  work  and  enrich- 
ment   with     gems    is    the    most    characteristic   of   the 
Russian   art  handicrafts.     Not  less   excellent  are  the 
two    golden   processional   crucifixes    presented    by  the 
Tsar  Michael.      Such  is  the  summer  church   of  the 
convent,  to  which  there  is  a  grand  ceremonial  procession 
on  Palm  Sunday,  and  one  on  the  second  Sunday  after 
Trinity  to  commemorate  the  great  fire  of  1737. 

The  winter  church,  dedicated  to  St  Michael,  is  the 
chapel  of  Honour  of  St  Theodore  of  Persia  and  was  built 
in  the  eighteenth  century  only.  In  addition  to  a  much 
venerated  ikon  of  the  virgin,  painted  in  1739,  there 
is  preserved  one  of  the  greatest  antiquities  of  Moscow 
_a  bas  relief  representing  St  George  the  Conqueror 
(Pobiedonostzev),  the  head  uncovered,  which  originally 
was  one  of  the  decorations  of  the  Redeemer  Gate  near 
by.      It  was  transferred  thence  to  the  Church  of  St 


\ 


i  1I 


I 


lt\ 


I   ( 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

George,  which  was  destroyed  by  the  fire  of  1737,  a 
conflagration  that  threatened  the  convent  also,  but  was 
stayed  by  the  miraculous  ikon  of  the  Virgin  of  Kazan, 
now  placed  in  the  adjoining  new  church  of  St  Catherine 
the  Martyr.  This  is  a  modern  building  on  the  site 
of  a  fine  old  church  of  the  seventeenth  century,  and 
of  a  Russified-Gothic  style  serves  to  show,  from  an 
artistic  point  of  view,  how  disastrous  is  the  attempt  to 
combine  native  designs  with  those  of  the  west.  On 
the  ground  floor  of  the  western  range  of  buildings  are 
the  ovens,  etc.,  where  the  Holy  Bread  is  prepared, 
and  the  nuns  of  the  convent  are  celebrated  throughout 
Russia  for  the  excellence  of  their  work  with  the  needle 
and  brush,  their  copies  of  the  ikons  of  these  churches 
being  in  particular  request. 

The  monasteries  outside  the  Kremlin  have  much  the 
character  of  small  fortified  towns,  and  are  the  stronger 
and,  architecturally,  the  more  interesting  the  greater  the 
distance  at  which  they  are  situated  from  the  town.  To 
visit  them,  drive  out  to  the  Simonov — four  miles  from 
the  centre  of  the  town — and  pass  the  Krutitski  Vorot 
and  the  Novo  Spasski ;  the  Spasso-Andronievski  and 
the  Pokrovski  on  the  return.  On  the  south  side  of 
the  river  to  the  Danilovski  and  the  Donskoi ;  to  the 
west  the  Zachatievski  and  Novo  Devichi.  The  others, 
of  minor  interest  are : — Monasteries  of  St  Nicholas, 
Epiphany,  Znamenski,  Petrovski,  Srietenka,  and  Alexis ; 
Convents :  St  Nikita,  Rojdestvenka,  and  Strastnoi. 

Simonov  Monastery 

St  Sergius  founded  the  monastery  in  1370,  but  it 
was  not  moved  to  its  present  site  on  a  hill  commanding 
the  Moskva  until  twenty  years  later.  It  educated 
St  Jonah  in  the  fifteenth  century,  and  when  he  became 
Metropolitan  it  increased  in  importance,  but  was  later 

260 


The  Convents  and  Monasteries 

surpassed  by  the  Troitsa,and  although  it  owned  12,000 
souls— male   serfs— in    the   eighteenth   century,  it    has 
never    attained    the    leading    position,    nor    even   that 
expected  of  it.     The  present  walls  were  built  during 
the  reign  of  Theodore  I.  but,  finished  in    1591,  they 
could  not  keep  out  the  Poles,  who  completely  sacked 
the  monastery  in   1612.      It  is  a  fine,  strong  looking, 
dreamy  old  place,  somewhat  dilapidated  and  overgrown 
with  verdure.     The  wall   is  half  a   mile   long,  com- 
manded by  wonderful  spire-like  towers,  some 
1 30  feet  high,  crowned  with  two-storeyed 
domed  watch  rooms,  which 
look    like    huge    dovecots. 
There  is  a  covered  rampart 
walk  all  round,  and  from  the 
tower  near  the  river,  a  sub- 
terranean passage  to  the  Lizin 
Prud,  a  holy  well  at  one  time 
much  visited  by  the  sick  who 
had  faith  in   its  miraculous 
healing  properties.  Some 
six  churches  are  within 
its  walls,  one  the  Cathe- 
dral of  the  Assumption, 
a  massive  building,  con- 
secrated   in    1 405,  and 
having  a  somewhat   bi- 
zarre     appearance,     its 
facade,  in  the  Byzantine 
style,  being  also  painted  in  three  colours  to  represent 
quadrangular  facets.      It  is  a  building  quite  foreign  to 
Muscovite  style  ;  reminiscent  rather  of  the  old  country 
churches  of  Portugal.     The  ikon  of  greatest  celebrity 
is  that  of  God  the  Father,  richly  decorated,  and  once, 
it  is  said,  blessed  by  St  Sergius,  when  it  was  carried  with 
the  troops  of  Dmitri  against  the  Tartars  under  Mamai. 

261 


^     ^^K 


.^ 


SIMONOV    MONASTYR 


\ 


\. 


I' 


'I 


7*he  Story  of  Moscoiv 


A  Moscow  merchant  defrayed  the  cost  of  the  great 
belfry,  330  feet  high,  and  under  the  refectory  is  buried 
the  renowned  Field-Marshall  Bruce ;  the  sacristy  is 
rich  in  vestments  and  some  ornamental  work  of  the 
Tsar  Alexis's  Masterskaya  in  the  Kremlin.  The 
most  famous  inmate  was  Simeon  Bekbulatov  the  con- 
verted Tsar  of  Kazan,  whom  Ivan  Groznoi  made  Tsar 
of  Moscow  for  twelve  months  ;  his  tomb  will  be  shown. 
The  charm  of  the  Simonov  is  derived  from  its  stillness, 
its  out  of  the  world  air,  its  roominess,  the  matured  trees, 
the  ample  orchard,  the  long  rampart  walk,  the  excellent 
views  of  Moscow,  the  many  quaint  nooks  near  the  old 
stores,  the  grateful  shade  of  pleasant  bosquets  and  the 
orderly  negligence  that  suggests  contentment — an  ideal 
home  for  dreamers,  for  cheery  mysticism  and  the 
inception  of  unhurried  philosophies. 

The  Novo  Spasski 

The  new  monastery  of  the  Saviour,  so  called 
because  in  the  fifteenth  century  removed  from  the 
Kremlin  to  its  present  site,  is  pleasantly  situated  near 
the  Moskva  river  not  far  from  the  Krasnoe  Kholmski 
bridge.  Its  walls  were  of  wood  until  the  invasion  of 
Devlet  Ghiree,  after  which  an  attempt  appears  to  have 
been  made  to  turn  all  the  outlying  monasteries  into 
fortresses  for  the  better  protection  of  Moscow.  One 
peculiarity  of  the  Spasski  Monastyr  is  that  the  towers 
which  flank  the  wall  are  all  different,  one  is  pentagonal, 
one  round,  one  hexagonal,  and  so  others  vary — some 
are  squat,  others  have  tapering  spires  from  the  towers ; 
the  belfry  is  220  feet  high.  Its  claim  to  greatness  is 
not  due  to  the  spirited  defence  it  made  to  the  Polish 
attack,  but  to  the  fact  that  within  its  Cathedral  of  the 
Transfiguration,  one  of  the  five  churches  within  the 
walls,  is  a  picture  *^^ Neruko-tvorenn'ty^  not  made  with 

262 


The  Convents  and  Monasteries 

hands.     "  In  the  year   1645,  in  the  town  of  Khlinov, 
in  the  porch  of  the  Church  of  the  Trinity,  before  the 
image  of  our    Saviour    not  made  with   hands,   i'eter 
Palkin,  blind  three  years,  stood  and  worshipped  and 
miraculously  received  his  sight."     The  Tsar  Alexis 
ordered  the  picture  to  be  brought  to  Moscow  for  the 
Spasski   Monastery,  and   a   copy  of  it  to   be  sent  to 
Khlinov,  or  Viatka.     The  church  is  also  adorned  with 
a  set  of  fresco   portraits   illustrating  the  genealogy  ot 
the  Tsars  of  Moscow,  from  Olga  to  Alexis :  corre- 
sponding therewith,  the  portraits  of  the  Kmgs  of  Israel. 
Behind   the   ikonostas  are   some    extraordinary   mural 
paintings  of  the  Tsars  Michael  and  Alexis,  founders 
of  the  cathedral.     The  Church  of  the  Protection,  to 
the  south  of  the  cathedral,  was  built  m   1673  to  the 
memory  of  the  Patriarch  Philaret,  and  a  third  church, 
near  the  cells   of  the   monks,  was   built  in   1652   by 
Nicholas  Cherkassky,  to  whose  family  Moscow  owes 
several    line     churches.       The     monastery    was    the 
favourite  burying  place  of  such  noble  Moscow  families 
as  the  Yaroslavskis,  Gagarins,  Sherbatevs,  Naryshkins 
and  Romanofs,  whose  ancestors  are  mostly  interred  m 
a  crypt  here,  the  last  being  Vasili  Yurivich  Zakharin. 
The  monastery  of  St  Andronievski  was  founded  by 
St  Alexis  the  metropolitan  who  made  a  vow,  when  in 
a  storm  at  sea  during  his  voyage  to  Constantinople,     i  he 
relics  of  St  Andronie  are  preserved  in  a  silver  shrine. 
All  these  monasteries  were  pillaged  and  profaned  by 
the  French,  the   Andronievski  suffered  perhaps  more 
than  the  others  since  there  some  monks  were  shot. 

DoNSKoi  Monastery 
This  monastery  is  in  no  way  connected  with  Dmitri  Donskoi 
but  owes  its  name  to  a  picture  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  presented 
by  the  Don  Cossacks  (Kazak  =  soldier)  after  the  great  victory 
over  Khazi-Ghiree  and  his  army  of  .  50,000  Mongols  advancing 
against  Moscow  in   1591  ;   they  were  repulsed  by  the  army 

263 


\ 


.J; 


i 


The  Story  of  Moscow 


raised  by  Boris  Godunov  and  the  miraculous  intervention  of 
the  ikon  of  the  Cossacks,  and  the  grateful  Theodore  built  the 
monastery  on  the  field  of  their  deleat  as  a  fit  shrine  for  the 
ikon,  which  had  been  set  up  as  the  standard  of  the  defenders  of 
Moscow.  A  church  pageant  on  August  19th  (old  style) 
commemorates  the  victory.  The  white  walls  and  red  turrets 
are  copied  from  those  of  the  Novo  Devichi.  The  principal 
church  was  founded  in  1684  by  Catherine,  daughter  of  the 
Tsar  Alexis,  and  differs  from  those  of  Moscow  town  in  being 
of  red  brick.  The  smaller  Church  of  the  Virgin  is  the  older, 
founded  in  1592;  the  three  others  are  of  the  eighteenth 
century. 

The  Cossacks  were  the  means  of  enriching  the 
church  by  recovering  the  silver  looted  by  the  French. 
The  decorations  are  for  the  most  part  quite  modern, 
and  the  paintings  by  an  Italian.  The  cemetery  has 
fine  monuments,  and  there  the  people  resort  on  summer 
evenings  for  the  shade  of  the  trees  and  restfulness  of 
this  peaceful  retreat.  Further  along  the  Kalujskaya  is 
the  Alexandrina  Palace,  formerly  the  property  of  the 
Orloffs,  with  its  celebrated  pleasaunce  "  sans  sougi," 
extending  to  the  wooded  bank  of  the  Moskva,  with 
pretty  views  of  Moscow  and  one  excellent  one  of  the 
Church  of  the  Saviour  seen  alone  at  the  extremity  of 
a  fine  avenue  of  great  trees. 

Danilovski  Monastyr 

This  has  the  advantage  of  being  the  oldest  establishment  of 
its  kind  in  Moscow.  Founded  in  the  Kremlin  by  Daniel  in 
1272,  it  was  transferred  in  1330,  and  in  the  reign  of  Ivan  IV. 
rebuilt  on  its  present  site.  The  walls  are  less  ornate  than  those 
of  the  other  fortifications  of  their  time;  the  machecoules  with 
superposed  loop-holes  over  the  gun- ports  are  also  unusual  and 
the  polygonal  corner  towers  have  greater  symmetry  than  those 
of  Simonov  or  Novo  Spasski.  The  chief  object  of  interest 
within  the  building  is  the  silver  shrine  of  the  founder  placed 
in  the  church  by  the  Tsar  Alexis  in  1652.  The  other  two 
churches  are  commonplace,  but  in  the  cemetery  is  the  tomb 
of  Gogol,  one  of  the  most  original  of  Muscovite  authors. 

The    Zamoskvoretski   quarter,  south   of  the  river, 
264 


The  Convents  and  Monasteries 


was  in  mediaeval  times  little  better  than  a  swamp  and 
long  uninhabited.  The  Mongols  settled  there  later, 
and  Tartar  names  indicate  some  streets,  as  Balchoog, 
«  quagmire,"  and  Bolotnaia,  "  swamps  ;  "  as  late  as  the 
reign  of  the  Great  Catherine,  the  Island  where  is  now 
the  Babygorodskaia  (little  town)  was  open  waste  land, 
and  there  the  rebel  impostor  Pugatchev,  brought  to 
Moscow  in  an  iron  cage,  was  beheaded  in  1773.  A 
raised  road  Krimski-val,  above  the  fen-land  leads  from 
the  Donskoi  Monastyr  to  the  Krimski  Most,  the  tubular 
bridge  over  the  river  near  the  Ostogenka.  It  obtained 
its  name  from  the  fact  that  the  Krim  Tartars  in  their 
attaches  on  Moscow  always  crossed  the  river  at  that 
point,  and  it  is  still  better  known  as  Krimski  Brode  or 
"  ford." 

Novo  Devichi  Convent 

West  of  the  Krimski  Most,  where  the  river  makes 
a  wide  sweep  and  on  three  side  bounds  a  large  tract 
of  low  lying  land,  is  the  Maidens'  Field,  which  tradition 
asserts  is  the  locality  of  the  market  at  which  the 
Tartars  in  old  times  purchased  Muscovite  girls  for 
the  Mohammedan  harems  in  Constantinople  and 
Ispahan.  Historians  contend  that  the  name  is  derived 
from  the  convent  established  there  since  1525.  There 
is  no  doubt  that  this  was  established  in  the  early  years  of 
the  sixteenth  century  to  commemorate  the  recapture  of 
Smolensk  by  Vasili  III.  It  is  also  indisputable  that 
there  were  already  convents  existing  within  Moscow 
and  that  Novo  Devichi  Monastyr  means  simply  Neiv 
Monastery  for  Women,  Helen,  "the  maid,"  was  the 
first  abbess  of  this,  and  may  have  given  it  the  name, 
but  it  was  customary  in  Moscow,  before  and  since, 
to  name  the  convents  after  the  dedication,  as  Conception, 
Nativity,  Passion,  etc.,  so  some  earlier  use  of  the  popular 
appellation  "  Maidens'  Field  "  is  more  probable. 

265       . 


"  1 

n 


I 


I 


f( 


i4 


^ 


The  Story  of  Moscow 


The  convent  is  two  miles  distant  from  the  Kremlin,  but 
also  on  the  river  bank,  though  a  tanlt  serving  as  a  moat 
actually  separates  it  from  the  present  raised  embankment  of 
the  Moskva.  The  walls  were  built  by  the  same  Italians  who 
completed  the  walls  of  the  Kremlin,  and  are  of  the  same  type, 
but  round  and  square  towers  alternate  and  both  have  some  of  the 
heavy  florid  decoration  so  common  in  Moscow.  The  single 
and  double  dropped-arch  is  most  conspicuous,  and  the 
quaintness  of  the  architecture  is  accentuated  by  the  glaring 
disparity  of  the  colouring — dead  white  for  the  walls  and 
interior  of  the  open  turrets,  dark  Indian  red  for  the  tops  of 
the  towers  and  masonry  above  the  corbels  of  the  machecoules. 
The  belfry  is  of  five  lofty  stages  en  retraite  surmounted  with  a 
gilded  bulbous  dome  and  immense  cross ;  its  colours  are  pink 
and  white  with  neutral  facings  ;  yellow,  green,  rose-pink  picked 
out  with  white  or  darker  tints  are  used  for  the  other  churches ; 
that  over  the  gateway  being  white  with  green  roof,  and  both 
green  and  blue  are  used  lavishly  elsewhere  for  the  roofs  of  the 
buildings  within  the  enclosure,  which  together  with  the  gold 
on  domes  and  crosses,  gives  to  the  convent-fortress  a  beauty 
that  is  wholly  eastern. 

The  two  churches  Vasili  founded  have  been  preserved  and 
others  added.     They  are — 

Church  of  the  Assumption,  with  a  chapel  dedicated  to  the 
Holy  Ghost. 

Church  of  St  Ambrose,  of  Milan. 

Church  of  The  Transfiguration  of  the  Virgin. 

Church  of  The  Protection  of  the  Virgin. 

Chapel  of  SS.  Balaam  and  Jehosaphat,  beneath  the  belfry. 

Church  of  St  James  the  Apostle,  founded  in  gratitude  of  the 
preservation  of  the  monastery  on  St  James's  day  1812. 

The  cathedral  church  with  chapels  to  the  Archangel 
Michael ;  to  SS.  Prokhor  and  Nikanor;  to  St  Sophia  and  the 
sister  graces,  Vera,  Nadejda,  and  Lubov  fFaith,  Hope  and 
Charity).  Here  the  daughters  of  Alexis  Mikhailovich  are  buried, 
as  also  Eudoxia  (Helena),  first  wife  of  Peter  I.  On  the  ikonostas 
is  a  very  early  copy  of  the  Iberian  Mother  of  God,  before  that 
ikon  was  taken  to  Smolensk  in  1456. 

Its  history  is  unimportant.  Julia  the  wife  of  its  founder  was 
forced  to  take  the  veil  here  in  1563  when  Vasili  intended  to 
marry  Helena  Glinski  :  Boris  Godunov  and  his  sister  Irene 
lived  within  it  during  the  six  weeks  following  upon  the  death 
of  Theodore  I.  Notwithstanding  its  apparent  strength, 
during  the  times  of  trouble  Vasili  Shoviski  after  various 
struggles  to  retain  it,  was  forced  to  give  it  up  to  the  invading 

•        266 


\ 


bo. 


V  - 


'^ 


I         I 


■  '■I'^y-' '.  '.i- 


!  i 


ill 


267 


i* 


1 


I     \ 


The  Convents  and  Monasteries 

Poles.  Peter  the  Great  imprisoned  his  sister  Sophia  within 
its  walls,  and  executed  many  of  the  streltsi  before  her  windows 
that  their  agony  might  awe  her  bold  spirit.  Some  years  after 
he  made  it  a  foundling  hospital,  and  150  infants  were  housed 
there  before  the  Hospitalrie  Dom  was  built ;  it  was  abolished 
in  1725.  Napoleon  visited  it  in  1812  and  at  first  it  suffered 
little;  the  King  of  Naples  ordering  divine  service  to  be  cele- 
brated  daily  as  usual,  but  later  Davoust  was  billeted  there,  and 
after  the  disaster  the  French  before  quitting  it  did  their 
utmost  to  blow  up  the  belfry,  the  cathedral  and  stores.  Ihe 
nuns  at  considerable  risk  interrupted  the  fired  train  and,  by 
their  intrepidity  and  subsequent  perseverance  in  combating 
the  fire,  saved  the  convent  from  destruction. 

Russian  monasteries  and  convents  are  not  rigorously  closed 
to  the  public  like  those  of  the  Roman  church.  Generally  from 
sunrise  to  sunset  the  great  gates  stand  open  that  all  may  enter 
who  desire  to  do  so ;  and  the  nuns,  so  far  from  being  secluded 
from  the  world,  are  rather  encouraged  to  go  out  into  it,  both 
on  errands  of  charity  and,  at  need,  to  supplement  by  their  own 
handicraft  a  too  scanty  income.  For  the  most  part  the  cells 
are  shared  in  common  by  three  inmates  who  unite  their  daily 
rations  of  tea,  salt,  and  black-bread,  and  whilst^  the  infirm 
sisters  busy  themselves  in  copying  ikons  or  producing  lace, 
needle-work  and  the  like,  the  more  active  go  into  the  town  to 
dispose  of  the  produce.  In  convents  as  elsewhere  the  Russian 
rule  holds  good  that  one's  room  is  inviolate :  strictly  private 
if  the  inmates  wish,  yet  open  to  whomsoever  it  is  their  pleasure 
to  entertain. 


I  ■ 
W 


269 


\ 


Il 


lli 


IM! 


CHAPTER  XIII 

Moscow  of  the  English 

"O,  how  glad  was  I  that  the  Tsar  took  notice  of  those  few 
Englishmen." — Horsey. 

^OSCOW  still  bears  witness  to  the  thoroughness  of 
English  handicraft  just  as  it  shows  the  unmistak- 
able impress  of  the  French  heel.     When  the  discovery 
of  the  new  world  by  Columbus  had  awakened  England 
to  enterprise  and  adventure,  among  the  expeditions  fitted 
out  to  find  new  markets  for  English  manufactures  was 
one  of  three  ships  sent  on  the  advice  of  Sebastian  Cabot, 
to  the  Arctic  seas  in  i  553.     Sir  Hugh  Willoughby  was 
in   command ;    Richard   Chancellor,    a   young  protege 
of  Sir  Henry  Sydney,  his  able  lieutenant,  and   King 
Edward  VI.  himself  the  patron.      The  merchant  ven- 
turers each  found  £2$  for  the  undertaking;  ;£6ooo 
in  all  was  subscribed  ;  two  Tartars  in  the  King's  stable 
were  interrogated  as  to  that  land  on  "  the  East  of  the 
Globe,"  but  they  answered  nothing  at  all  that  was  in 
point.     Three  ships  sailed  from  Rudclifl^  Harbour  on 
the  20th  May,  but  a  few  days  later  a  storm  separated 
them.     Chancellor  sailed  on,  and  notwithstanding  "  the 
counsel  of  three  friendly  Scotchmen  "  to  proceed  no 
further,  he  reached  the  White  Sea  where  he  awaited 
the  coming  of  his  chief.      Sighting  a  smack  he  got  the 
men  on  board ;  they  at  once  fell  prostrate  to  kiss  his 
feet  but  he  himself  raised  them,  "  an  act  of  humanity 
that  won  for  him  much  goodwill."     The  natives  dared 
270 


1  ; 


Moscow  of  the  English 

not  trade  without  leave  of  their  prince,  and  in  some 
six  weeks  an  invitation  was  given  Chancellor  to  proceed 
from  Kholmogori  (Archangel)  to  Moscow.  There 
he  was  sumptuously  entertained.  Furnished  with  a 
reply  to  King  Edward's  letter  and  permission  to  trade, 
he  returned  to  London.  In  April  i  555,  Chancellor 
was  again  sent  to  Moscow  ;  the  Tsar  in  the  meanwhile 
had  found  the  remains  of  Sir  Hugh  Willoughby's  other 
two  ships,  the  crews  of  which  had  been  starved  to  death. 
The  resuh  of  this  second  voyage  was  the  estabHshment 
of  the  Russia  Company  at  Kholmogori  and  Moscow,  and 
the  visit  of  a  Russian  envoy  to  the  Court  of  St  James's. 
]  11-luck  attended  the  return  voyage ;  Chancellor,  his 
son  and  seven  Russians,  were  drowned  when  their  ship 
was  wrecked,  near  Kinnaird  Head. 

The  English  were  not  deterred  by  untoward  events, 
and  pressed  trade  briskly.     They  had  to  deal  with  a 
sovereign  whose   methods  were  detestable  and  whose 
aim  was  a  political  and  matrimonial  alliance  with  the 
Tudors,  not  commercial  intercourse  with  the  English 
people ;  the  Tsar  was  foiled,  and  the  English  traders 
succeeded.      No  doubt  the  venturers  were   misled  by 
the  too  glowing  reports  of  their  servants,  who  represented 
Russia  as  a  new  Indies.     Wondrous  were  the  stories 
they  gave  of  the  country  and  its  inhabitants ;   of  the 
immense  wealth  of  the  Tsar ;  of  the  strange  animals 
that  roamed  in  the  forests.      Of  these  last  one  was  the 
«  Rossmachia,"   which   devoured   food   so   ravenously 
that  it  had  to  pass  between  great  growing  trees  in  order 
to  reduce  its  distended  stomach— an  animal  not  identi- 
fied ;  another  was  the  Ass-camel,  having  the  attributes 
of  both  these  beasts,  which  was  so  far  believed  in  as 
to  figure  in  the  arms  of  the  Eastland  Company  and  is 
thought  to  be   the    yak.     To   these    early   voyagers, 
earnest  and  austere  in  their  new-found   protestantism, 
the  religion  of  the  Muscovites  seemed  idolatrous,  and 


271 


I* 


I 


Ill 


I  If 


I! 


I 


The  Story  of  Moscoiv 

to  their  prejudiced  writings,  reproduced  by  generation 
after  generation,  many  of  the  still  current  misconcep- 
tions concerning  the  Eastern  Church  are  due. 

The  Governors  of  the  Russia  Company  were  hard- 
headed,  bargain-driving  tradesmen,  with  no  soul  for 
empire  or  an  attempt  had  been  made  by  them  to  conquer 
and  annex  Russia  for  their  sovereign  and  their  country. 
Profitable  trade  was  their  one  aim  and  the  extravagances 
of  their  servants  and  apprentices  their  increasing  lament. 
Many  were  the  complaints,  piteous  the  explanations ; 
anger  on  the  part  of  the  employer,  indignation  and 
desertion  on  the  part  of  the  unlucky  apprentices. 

Ivan  did  not  pay  for  the  goods  he  had,  or  his  chan- 
cellor would  not ;  none  dared  trade  but  by  his  leave  ; 
his  subjects  feared  to  buy  the  merchants'  goods  lest  their 
sovereign  might  still  require  them  for  himself  The 
governors  paid  no  heed  to  the  customs  of  the  country 
or  the  needs  of  their  apprentices — foundlings  and 
charity — reared  orphans — no  furs  were  to  be  worn ; 
the  ells  of  cloth  allowed  annually  were  in  no  case  to  be 
exceeded,  and  the  use  of  horses  forbidden ;  "  if  it  be 
against  the  manner  of  that  countrie  we  will  make  it  the 
manner  rather  than  forbear  our  money  with  losse  to 
clothe  them  otherwise,  or  maintain  them  to  ride  when 
we  go  afoot.     Let  the  horses  and  mares  be  sold." 

So  ordered  the  governors  their  full-powered  servant 
Anthony  Jenkinson,  who  was  further  commanded  to 
**  reduce  our  stipendiaries  to  a  better  order  in  apparel ; 
forbid  them  riding,  for  such  excessiveness  corrupteth 
all  good  natures,  bringeth  obloquy  to  our  nation  and 
also  loss  to  ourselves."  **  Item  34  "  of  this  long  com- 
mand is  "  no  dogs,  bears,  or  superfluous  burdens  to  be 
kept ;  no  bond-men  or  women  to  wait  upon  them." 
"  Item  39,  they  shall  pay  for  their  apparel  not  at  cost 
price  but  at  the  selling  price  in  Russia."  Among 
other  things  the  unfortunate  ill-clad  apprentice  bore  in 

272 


Moscow  of  the  English 

the  frozen  north  during  arctic  winter  was  punishment 
for    the    company's    misdoings,    but    the    governors, 
"  doubt  that  Alcock's  death  proceeded  from  asking  for 
payment  of  our  debts,  as  Edwardes  writes,  but  that 
he  either  quareled  inadvisedly  or  else  constrained  the 
people  touching  their  religion,  laws,  or  manners,  being 
given    wisdom    wolde    to    mislike    and    mock    other 
strangers."     No  wonder  the  English  left  the  factory 
and  tried  to  make  a  living  for  themselves,  but  withal 
there  were  many  of  the  right  grit  among  them,  to  wit, 
Anthony  Jenkinson   who  passed  through  Moscow  in 
1558  determined  upon  finding  a  way  to  the  Indies  by 
the  Caspian.     This  intrepid  adventurer  reached  Ispahan 
with  the  goods  of  the   Russia  company  and  returned 
burdened  with  rich  barter  and    precious  gifts.      Later 
he  fitted  out  a  fleet  on  the  Caspian  and  made  war  on 
the  Turcomans  with  some  success,  an  undertaking  the 
difiiculties  of  which  can  scarcely  be  estimated  seeing 
that   he    could    communicate   with  England   only  by 
way  of  Archangel, — a  port  closed  by  ice  for  one  half 
of  the  year.     Jenkinson  had  not  only  to  contend  with 
pirates  on  the  Volga,  but  was  warned  that  the  Danes 
might  attempt  to  seize  his  ships, — Primrose,  2 40  tons  ; 
John  Evangelist,    170  ;   Jnne,   160;  Trinitie,    I4O;— 
as  they   passed  the  wardhouse   (Vardso)   "where  be 
enemies  that  do  mislike  the  newe  found  trade  by  seas 
to  Russia."      Sigismund  II.,  King  of  Poland,  tried  his 
utmost  to  stop  the  traffic,  "sending  messengers   with 
pretended  letters   of  thanks  to   English  merchants  in 
order  to  make  the  Tsar,  Ivan,  suspicious  of  them. 

He  fitted  out  ships  in  Dantzig  to  capture  English 
ships  bound  for  the  Narva,  and  threatened  Elizabeth  that 
loss  of  liberty,  life,  wives  and  children  awaited  those 
who  should  carry  wares  and  weapons  to  the  Muscovite 
who  was  not  only  the  enemy  of  the  King  of  Poland 
but  the  hereditary  foe  of  all  free  nations."      Among 

8  273 


I  '' 


»ll 


H( 


It) 


1^ 


IV 


'I  • 


7 he  Story  of  Moscow 

other  of  the  company's  servants  who  distinguished 
themselves  were  Southam  and  Spark  who  discovered 
the  water-way  from  the  White  Sea  to  Novgorod,  and 
so  got  goods  thither  without  such  risk  as  was  run 
from  Russia's  enemies  on  the  Baltic  when  sent  by 
Narva.  The  Flemings  and  Germans  were  jealous  of 
the  new  traders  and  made  many  misrepresentations 
concerning  both  persons  and  goods.  They  themselves 
furnished  an  inferior  staple,  but  the  simple  people  were 
made  to  prefer  it  to  English  cloth  which,  as  it  would 
not  shrink  as  theirs  did,  could  not  be  new. 

Jerom  Horsey  was  an  apprentice  or  underling  of  the 
Russia  company  at  Moscow;  he  attracted  the  Tsar's 
attention  by  his  expert  horsemanship  and  his  wit  when 
the  Tsar  questioned  him  respecting  the   Russian  ships 
building  at  Vologda  for  the  Caspian.     Horsey  answered 
that  with  others  he  had  admired  their  "  strange  fashion. 
Ivan  would  know  what  he  meant  by  this  description. 
"  I  mean  that  the  figure  heads  of  lions,  dragons,  eagles, 
elephants    and  unicorns    were    so    skilfully,    so    richly 
adorned  with  gold  and   silver,   and   painted  in  bright 
colours."      "A   crafty  youth  to  commend  the  work 
of  his  own  countrymen,"  remarked    Ivan,    and   then 
asked   about   the    English    Fleet,   but    was    displeased 
when   Horsey   described    the    Queen's    flag    as    "one 
before  which  all  nations  bow."     These  traders  were 
not  the  only  British  in  Moscow,  others  were  brought 
as  prisoners  by  Ivan  on  his  return  from  the  devastation 
of  Novgorod. 

"At  which  time,  among  other  nations,  there  were  four  score 
and  five  poor  Scotch  soldiers  left  of  700  sent  from  Stockholm, 
and  three  Englishmen  in  their  company  brought  many  other 
captives,  in  most  miserable  manner,  piteous  to  behold.  1 
laboured  and  employed  my  best  endeavours  and  credit— not 
only  to  succour  them  but  with  my  purse,  and  pains,  and  means 
eot  them  to  be  well  placed  at  Bui  van  near  the  Moskva  And 
although  the  Tsar  was  much   inflamed  with  fury  and  wrath 

274 


Moscow  of  the  English 

against   them,  torturing  and   putting   many  of  these   Swede 
soldiers  to  death— most  lamentable  to  behold— I  procured  the 
Tsar  to  be  told  of  the  difference  between  these  Scots,  now  his 
captives,  and  the  Swedes,  Poles  and  Lithuanins  his  enemies. 
That  they  were  of  a  nation  of  strangers  ;  remote ;  a  venturous 
and  warlike  people,  ready  to  serve  any  Christian  prince  for 
maintenance  and  pay,  as  they  would  appear  and  prove,  if  it 
pleased  His  Majesty  to  employ  and  spare  them  such  mainten- 
ance.    They  were  out  of  heart ;  no   clothes  ;   no  arms  ;   but 
would   show  themselves   of  valour   even   against   his   mortal 
enemy  the  Tartar.     It  seems  some  use  was  made  of  this  advice 
for  shortly  the  best  soldiers  were  put  apart  and   captains  of 
each  nation  appointed  to  govern  the  rest.     Jeamy  Lingett  for 
the  Scottish  men,  a   valiant,  honest  man.      Money,  clothes, 
and  daily  allowance  for   meat   and  drink   was   given  them ; 
horses,   hay  and   oats;    swords,  piece  and  pistols  were   they 
armed  with— poor  snakes  before,  looke  now  cheerfully.    Twelve 
hundred  of  them  did  better  service  against  the  Tartar  than 
twelve  thousand  Russians  with  their  short  bows  and  arrows. 
The  Krim-Tartars,  not   knowing   then   the  use   of   muskets 
and  pistols,  struck  dead  on  their  horses  with  shot  they  saw 
not,  cried  : — '  Awaye  with  those  new  devils  that  come  with 
their  thundering  puffs,'  whereat  the  Tsar  made  good   sport. 
Then  had  they  pensions  and  lands  allowed  them  to  live  upon  ; 
matched  and  married  with  the  fair  women  of  Livonia  ;   in- 
creased   into  families,  and  live  in  favour  of  the  prince   and 
people." — Horsexf. 

Unhappily  their  good  treatment  was  not  long  con- 
tinued. Soon  Ivan  set  a  thousand  of  his  opritchniks 
"to  rob  and  spoil  them,"  and  their  sufl^erings  were 
terrible.  Some  escaped  into  the  English  House,  and 
were  clad  and  relieved  there,  "  but,"  says  Horsey,  "  we 
were  in  danger  of  great  displeasure  in  so  doing."  But 
Horsey,  a  man  of  wide  sympathies,  did  not  confine 
his  aid  to  men  of  his  own  country  ;  he  was  instrumental 
in  saving  many  other  of  the  captives  of  Ivan's  wars  in 
the  west,  who  were  quartered  in  a  special  suburb,  the 
nemetski  slohoda^  "by  my  mediation  and  means,  being 
then  familiar  and  conversant  in  the  Court,  well  known 
and  respected  of  the  best  favourites  and  officers  at  that 

275 


(' 


li' 


1^1 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

time,  T  procured  liberty  to  build  them  a  church,  and 
contributed  well  thereunto ;  got  unto  them  a  learned 
preaching  minister,  and  divine  service  and  meeting  of 
the  congregation  every  Sabath  day,  but  after  their 
Lutheran  profession."  These  people  "soon  grew  in 
good  liking  "  of  the  Muscovite  citizens,  "  living  civilly, 
but  in  doleful  mourning  manner  for  their  evil  loss  of 
goods,  friends,  and  country."  Horsey  was  the  man 
chosen  by  Ivan  to  take  a  private  message  to  Queen 
Elizabeth  in  answer  to  the  important  communication 
she  had  sent  him  by  Anthony  Jenkinson.  The  Tsar 
provided  him  with  horses,  and  a  guard  as  far  as  the 
confines  of  his  territory,  but  "  forbear  to  tell  you  all 
the  secrets  entrusted  to  you,  lest  you  should  fall  into 
my  enemy's  power  and  be  forced  to  betray  them, 
but  you  will  give  to  the  Queen,  my  loving  sister,  the 
contents  of  this  bottle,"  and  the  Tsar  himself  secreted 
a  small  wooden  spirit-flask  among  the  trappings  of  the 
young  rider's  horse. 

Horsey  had  engaged  upon  a  daring  undertaking,  and 
had  an  adventurous  journey.  It  was  winter;  Russia 
was  beset  by  Ivan's  enemies,  who  hated  the  English 
for  the  help  given  the  Muscovite  ruler.  As  soon  as  he 
crossed  the  border  he  feigned  to  be  a  refugee,  but  was 
taken  as  a  spy  and  cast  into  prison.  The  governor  of 
the  castle,  hearing  that  he  came  from  Moscow,  would 
learn  some  news  of  his  daughter,  who  had  been  carried 
away  a  captive  by  Ivan's-  troops.  She  was  among 
those  whom  Horsey  had  helped  to  settle  in  the  Sloboda, 
and  he  gave  so  good  an  account  of  her,  that  the  grate- 
ful jailer  liberated  him  and  helped  him  forward  on  his 
long  journey.  When  he  passed  through  the  Nether- 
lands the  merchants  gave  a  banquet  in  his  honour  and, 
for  favours  he  had  rendered  the  foreigners  in  Moscow, 
presented  him  with  a  silver  bowl  full  of  ducats. 
Horsey  returned  the  ducats,  as  he  says,  "  not  without 

276 


Moscow  of  the  English 

afterwards  repenting  of  this,"  but  kept  the  bowl  to 
remind  him  of  their  good  will.  He  reached  England, 
and  was  received  by  the  Queen  and  indicted  by  the 
sordid  governors  of  the  Russia  company,  who  made  a 
number  of  trivial  and  baseless  charges.  He  returned 
to  Russia  more  than  once,  got  the  extravagant  demands 
of  the  company  conceded,  some  thousands  of  roubles 
were  "preened  from  the  shins  of  Shalkan,  the 
Chancellor,"  and  after  living  through  the  "  troublous 
times"  he  finally  settled  in  England;  was  married, 
knighted,  and  lived  far  into  the  seventeenth  century. 

Probably  his  "  good  friends  "  at  court  were  Nikita 
Romanof,  grandfather  of  the  first  elected  Tsar,  and  Boris 
Godunov  with  whom  Horsey  was  always  on  excellent 
terms.     Ivan  sent  a  couple  of  hundred  of  his  opritch- 
niks  to  pillage  the  house  of  his  father-in-law  Nikita 
Romanof,  and  the   English  then  sheltered  the  family 
in  their  house  close  by,  and  supplied  them  with  food 
and   stuflPs   "for   they    had   been   stripped  of  all   they 
possessed."     In  its  turn  the  English  House  suffered ; 
it  was  burned  by  the  Tartars  in  1591,  and  the  inmates 
huddled  in  the  cellar  for  days,  lost  Spark,  the  explorer, 
Carver,  the   first  apothecary  in   Moscow,  and  others, 
but  the  survivors  rushed  out  during  a  lull  in  the  con- 
flagration and  made  their  way  through  the  smoke  and 
flames  to  the  Kremlin,  where  they  were  helped  over 
the  wall.     In  1 6 1 1  it  was  again  destroyed  by  fire,  in 
the    struggle    between    Pojarski    and    the    Poles,    and 
finally    destroyed    during    the    French    invasion.      Its 
site  is  now  occupied  by  the  Siberian  Podvor,  in  the 
Varvarka.     It  was  not  rebuilt,  but  a  plot  of  land  be- 
tween the  Broosovski  and  Chernichefski  Pereuloks — 
the  streets  that  connect  the  Tverskaya  and  Nikitskaya 
behind  the  Governor-General's  residence — was  granted 
the  colony  by  Alexander  I.,  and  there  a  new  English 
church,  parsonage  and  library  have  been  erected. 

277 


\\ 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

The  early  settlers  were  chiefly  traders,  but  they  also 
coined  silver  money  and  made  weapons ;  it  was  usual 
for  the  Tsar  to  honour  the  house  by  a  ceremonial  call 
early  in  the  new  year,  and  towards  the  autumn,  the 
Tsar  and  Court  accompanied  the  merchants  tne  first 
stage  of  their  homeward  journey  towards  Archangel, 
and  gave  them  a  parting  feast  and  toast  at  a  picnic  in 
the  forest — a  custom  observed  by  Peter  I.  until  he 
founded  St  Petersburgh.  Their  status  was,  and  is, 
that  of  foreign  guests,  and  they  were  subject  to  the 
common  law  and  custom.  William  Barnsley  of 
Worcester  appears  to  have  been  the  first  Englishman 
exiled  to  Siberia.  Ivan  the  Terrible  thought  him  too 
familiar  in  his  behaviour  towards  the  Tsaritsa,  so 
banished  him,  but  he  returned  after  twenty-six  years, 
hale  and  very  wealthy.  Giles  Fletcher,  father  of 
Phineas  Fletcher,  the  poet,  obtained  an  undertaking 
that  Englishmen  should  not  be  put  to  the  torture  or  put 
on  the  put-key — whipping  block — before  condemnation. 
His  own  book  on  Muscovy  was  promptly  suppressed 
on  the  petition  of  the  Russia  Company,  whose  members 
so  far  from  supporting  the  rights  of  their  countrymen, 
were  not  altogether  displeased  that  an  escaped  apprentice 
— or  other  roving  Englishman — if  not  roasted,  "  yet 
were  scorched."  Peter  the  Great  put  to  death  the 
beautiful  Miss  Hamilton,  a  lady  of  honour  to  his  wife 
Eudoxia  and  nearly  related  to  his  own  mother's  foster- 
parents,  but  he  is  said  to  have  accompanied  her  to  the 
scaffold  and  picked  up  the  head  as  it  dropped  from  the 
block  and  pressed  his  lips  to  hers. 

There  were  Englishwomen  in  Moscow  in  the  sixteenth 
century,  for,  apart  from  the  anecdote  respecting  Ivan's 
treatment  of  them,  Jane  Richard,  the  widow  of  his 
physician,  the  notorious  Dr  Bomel,  was  sent  back  to 
England  in  1583,  and  in  1602  John  Frenchman 
founded  the  Apteka  in  Moscow  in  1586,  and  returned 

278 


Moscow  of  the  English 

to  Moscow  with  his  wife  and  family  in  1602.     From 
the  complaints  of  the  Russia  Company  of  their  young 


TOWER    OVER    THE    REDEEMER    GATE    (SPASSKI    VOROT) 

employees,  it  would  appear  that  married  men  were  sent 
out,  **  as  also  a  Divine  to  exhort  the  single  to  righteous 
conduct,"  quite  early* in  its  history.  From  these  people 
who  lived  apart  from  the  citizens  and  enjoyed  certain 

279 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

privileges,  the  Russians  derived  new  ideas  as  to 
woman's  place  in  the  household,  and  many  families 
adopted  the  foreign  customs  long  before  Peter  **  com- 
manded "  that  the  terems  should  be  thrown  open  and 
the  example  of  the  Court  followed  by  all. 

The  visible  memorials  of  the  early  English  settlers 
in  Moscow  may  be  found  about  the  Kremlin  in  such 
works  as  the  great  central  tower,  Ivan  Veliki,  built  by 
John  Villiers,  the  beautiful  Church  of  St  Catherine 
— that  behind  the  Golden  Gate  (v.  p.  i6i)  accredited 
to  John  Taylor ;  and,  still  more  characteristic,  those 
Gothic  towers  which  rise  so  majestically  above  the 
Troitski  and  Spasski  Gates.  In  them  the  influence  of 
the  east  is  scarcely  to  be  discovered,  even  such  use  as 
is  made  of  the  ogival  arch  being  quite  as  native  to  the 
Gothic  of  the  later  period  as  to  the  Russian  architecture, 
whilst  those  forms  of  decoration  common  to  Moscow 
prior  to,  and  during,  the  seventeenth  century  are  as 
completely  ignored  as  the  designs  of  the  Italian  builders 
of  the  wall  these  Gothic  towers  crown.  In  the  view 
illustrated  the  belfry  tower  of  the  Church  of  St 
Catherine  also  figures,  in  not  unpleasing  contrast  with 
the  more  severe,  and  beautiful,  but  commoner  architecture 
adopted  by  Galloway. 

Foreign  craftsmen  flocked  to  Moscow  during  the 
glorious  reign  of  Alexis,  and  the  Russia  Company 
prospered,  but  the  English  settlers  received  a  temporary 
check  when  the  quarrel  rose  between  King  and  Parlia- 
ment. Alexis,  in  gratitude  for  favours  shown  his 
ancestors  by  the  English,  sent  Charles  grain  and  furs, 
and  banished  those  who  declared  for  the  Common- 
wealth. He  annulled  the  charter  of  the  Russia 
Company  when  Cromwell  succeeded,  and  would  have 
no  intercourse  with  the  Protector.  In  this,  as  in  most 
matters,  Cromwell  ultimately  obtained  his  own  way. 
The  difficulty  was  smoothed  away  by  CromwelFs 
280 


Moscow  of  the  English 

roaming  ambassador,  the  able  Bradshaw,  who  did  not 
even  need  to  visit  Russia  to  accomplish  so  little. 
Trade  was  re-opened,  and  later  Alexis  corresponded 
with  the  great  Englishman.  During  the  reign  of 
Peter  all  foreign  residents,  not  military  leaders,  were 
oppressed— their  wages  were  withheld  that  they  might 
not  escape  the  country  and  agreements  and  contracts 
disregarded,  but  there  was  no  open  enmity  between  the 
races  save  for  a  short  time  subsequent  to  the  seizure  of 
Malta,  which  act  greatly  embittered  the  Emperor  Paul 
against  the  English.  The  Marquess  of  Carmarthen 
obtained  a  tobacco  monopoly  from  Peter  the  Great, 
who  on  his  return  to  Moscow  now  punished  as  severely 
those  of  his  subjects  who  would  not  acquire  the  habit 
as  he  had  previously  done  those  who  indulged  it.  But 
he  disregarded  the  provisions  of  the  contract  and  the 
result  was  that  Queen  Anne's  representative  at  Moscow 
was  instructed  to  send  home  the  workmen  and  secretly 
destroy  all  the  material  and  machines  in  the  factory  at 
Moscow.  The  envoy  and  his  secretary  "  spent  long  hours 
and  nights ''  in  accomplishing  this  service  with  their 
own  hands — probably  the  last  actual  direct  interference 
of  the  British  Crown  with  matters  commercial  and 
industrial,  for  it  failed  of  its  ultimate  purpose,  and 
brought  disaster. 

Scotch  soldiers  of  fortune  found  their  opportunities 
in  Russia,  and  made  the  most  of  them.  One  of  the 
best  known  among  them  is  the  sturdy  Patrick  Gordon, 
who  entered  the  Swedish  service  under  the  grand- 
father of  Charles  XII.;  was  captured  by  the  Poles 
and  served  them  until  taken  prisoner  by  Alexis.  The 
Tsar  had  heard  that  Gordon  had  taken  pity  upon 
Russian  captives  in  Warsaw,  and  at  his  own  cost  fed 
tliem,  so  sent  for  him  that  he  might  thank  him 
personally  for  the  "  favours  shown  to  the  poor  captives 
in  Warsaw,'*  whereupon  Gordon  oflPered  his  sword  to 

281 


J, 


-- r,^..  ,1  — iupiip 


The  Story  of  Moscoiv 

Moscow,  and  served  faithfully.  One  Alexander 
Gordon,  who  claimed  cousinship,  found  his  way  to 
Moscow,  and  was  made  an  officer  by  Peter  "  for  that 
he,  single  handed,  thrashed  seven  Russian  officers  who 
had  insulted  him."  He  also  married  a  daughter  of 
Patrick  Gordon,  and  wrote  the  best  contemporary 
biography  of  Peter  I.  Crawford  helped  the  Gordons 
to  form  a  regiment  of  regular  soldiers,  and  Field- 
Marshal  Bruce  with  Gordon  rendered  such  valuable 
services,  that  Peter  instituted  the  Order  of  St  Andrew, 
for  distinguished  military  services,  and  these  Scotchmen 
were  the  first  to  be  decorated. 

After  the  peace  of  Tilsit  Napoleon  wished  Alexander 
to  banish  or  imprison  the  English  in  Russia,  but  the 
Tsar  answered,  "  Their  ancestors  have  been  here  during 
past  centuries  and  I  shall  not  treat  my  old  friends  so 
ill  as  to  consider  them  enemies  ;  if  they  choose  to 
remain  in  Russia  none  shall  molest  them."  They 
suffered  during  the  French  occupation  of  Moscow; 
their  Church  was  burned,  and  the  residence  of  their 
pastor  as  well  as  their  own  warehouses  and  dwellings. 
It  is  said  that  one  Englishman,  more  astute  than  most, 
buried  his  treasure  and  a  little  less  deep  interred  the 
body  of  a  French  soldier.  The  marauders  seeing  the 
newly-turned  earth  dug  until  they  reached  the  body  of 
their  comrade,  but  sought  no  further,  and  the  next 
year  the  Englishman  removed  his  treasure  intact. 
During  the  Crimean  war,  the  only  inconvenience  the 
English  residents  suffered  was  the  loss  of  trade. 
The  police  doubted  whether  it  was  lawful  for  the 
community  to  offer  up  prayers  for  the  defeat  of  the 
Russians — the  Queen's  enemies — and  the  matter  was 
referred  to  the  Emperor  Nicholas,  who  answered  that 
the  English  were  **  to  be  allowed  to  pray  for  whom- 
soever and  whatsoever  they  pleased."  From  the 
English  settlers  have  descended  men  who  have  distin- 
^8? 


Moscow  of  the  English 

guished  themselves,  as  amongst  poets,  Lermontof  ( Lear- 
month)  ;  amongst  diplomats.  Count  Balmaine  (Ramsay 
of  Balmaine)  and  Prince  Menzikov  (Menzies)  ;  among 
soldiers,  Barclay  de  Tolly  (from  a  Scotch  Protestant 
refugee)   and  Skobelev  (Scobie)  ;  amongst  architects, 
Sherwood,  designer  of  the  Historical  Museum,    and 
Parland,    architect    of    the    Memorial    Cathedral,   St 
Petersburg,    and   in    other   walks    of  life,   others   the 
equals  of  these.     The  colonists  have  but  one  policy— 
to    support  the  Government— and  do  not  fuse  freely 
with  the   Slavs.     Some  still  cling  tenaciously  to  the 
nationality  of  their  ancestors,  whilst  in  dress,  language, 
manners    and   aspirations   indistinguishable  from  those 
Russians    of    the    class    with    whom    they    associate. 
Pathetic  figures  some  ;  reluctant  to  relinquish  the  pass- 
port that   alone    links  them   with  the    land    of  their 
fathers,  looked   at  askant  by  the   Britons  newly  out, 
a    nuisance    to   diplomatists,    and    a    puzzle    to   the 
«*  orthodox." 


283 


CHAPTER  XIV 
The  French  Invasion — and  after 

"  Now,  Robber  !  look  what  thou  hast  done  : 
Come,  for  the  strife  prepare  thee. 
This  land  we  fight  on  is  our  own — 
And  God's  revenge  is  near  thee ! 

Zhukovski  "Napoleon." 

^OT  unfrequently  Russia  has  been  treated  by  the 
powers  of  western  Europe  with  less  consideration 
for  justice  than  they  have  observed  in  their  dealings 
with  each  other,  but  on  no  occasion  has  a  civilised 
country  more  grossly  outraged  the  sense  of  right  than 
did  France  by  its  memorable  campaign  of  1812.  It 
is  possible  that  Napoleon  still  felt  piqued  because  his 
offer  to  enter  the  Russian  army  had  been  declined  by 
Zaborovski  in  1  789 — a  rejection  which  the  old  general 
had  many  times  keenly  regretted  long  before  181 2 — 
and  it  may  be  that  Napoleon  resented  his  refusal  by 
the  Princess  Katerina,  and  was  disgusted  that  the 
hand  of  the  Princess  Anna,  which  he  had  subsequently 
sought  in  marriage,  had  been  bestowed  in  preference 
upon  a  German  princelet.  It  is  idle  to  suppose  that 
technical  breaches  of  the  treaty  of  Tilsit  by  Russia — 
who  was  unable  to  stop  commercial  relations  with 
England — were  anything  more  than  a  mere  pretext 
for  the  war.  Like  the  wolf  in  the  fable  who  had 
determined  to  devour  the  lamb  that  had  disturbed 
the  lower   waters  of  the   stream,   any   excuse  served 

284 


The  French  Invasion — and  after 

this  wickedly  ambitious  upstart  to  gratify  his  lust  for 
further  spoils  and  military  glory.     Doubtless  Napoleon 
—before  whom  Latin  and  Teutonic  kings  bowed  low 
and  their   subjects   trembled  when  he  but  feigned  to 
unsheath    his    sword— expected    that   the    formidable 
preparations  he  made  for  war  would  awe   Russia  mto 
submission,   and   thus   gratify   his   vanity:    but    Russia 
heeded  his  bluster  as  little  as  did  England,  so,  with 
the  eyes  of  Europe  upon  him,  he  had  no  option  but 
to  drink    up   the    liquor    he    had   uncorked.      Russia 
doubted   his   seriousness,   but    regarded   the  inevitable 
with  equanimity.     It  seemed  improbable  that  France, 
after  centuries  of  enlightenment  and  progress,  with  its 
professed  love  of  philosophy,  art  and  culture,  should 
raid   Russia  for  pelf— just  as  Tartars,  Kalmucks,  and 
hordes  of  rough  unlettered  barbarians  out  of  Asia  had 
done  in  ages  past.      If  it  were  so  to  be,  Russia  doubted 
not  but  she  could  triumph  over  the  forces  of  the  west 
even  as  she  had  done  over  those  of  the  east. 

On  the  loth  June  1812  the  French  army  crossed 
the  Niemen  unopposed,  and  five  days  later  occupied 
Vilna,  where  Napoleon  expected  attack,  but,  unmolested 
for  eighteen  days,  moved  on  towards  Vitebsk.  The 
Russian  army,  commanded  by  Barclay  de  Tolly,  did 
nothing  more  than  cause  the  invaders  to  manoeuvre 
unceasingly,  and  advance  further  into  the  country. 
On  the  banks  of  the  Dvina  Napoleon  thought  to  end 
the  campaign  of  18 1  2  ;  recuperate  his  army  and  march 
against  Moscow  the  following  spring;  but  as  yet  no 
action  had  been  fought,  so  he  again  hurried  on  after 
the  Russians,  this  time  towards  Smolensk. 

It  is  held  that  the  withdrawal  of  the  Russians  dis- 
concerted Napoleon;  but  he  had  already  met  other 
armies  than  the  English,  so  to  him  this  retreat  of  his 
enemy  was  not  new.  He  expected  to  come  up  with 
the    Russians    at    Smolensk,   but    Barclay   de   Tolly, 

28s 


The  Story  of  Moscow 


\\ 


(' 


although  assuring  the  inhabitants  of  their  safety,  sent 
away  the  treasure  and  had  determined  to  abandon  the 
town.  It  was  garrisoned  by  but  one  regiment  when 
Neverovski  fell  back  upon  it  after  his  engagement  with 
the  French  at  Krasnce.  Raevski,  sent  to  his  aid, 
entrenched  his  troops  and  determined  to  hold  the  town 
until  the  two  armies  under  Tolly  and  Bagrateon,  then 
encamped  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Dnieper,  should  arrive. 
But  they  fell  further  back  instead  of  advancing,  and 
after  one  day's  fighting,  with  terrible  loss,  the  Russians 
evacuated  after  setting  fire  to  the  town.  Napoleon 
remained  there  four  days,  then  followed  the  Russians 
towards  Moscow.  Notwithstanding  his  proclamations 
of  amity  towards  the  peasants,  his  promises  of  freedom 
for  the  serfs,  the  people  began  to  realise  that  the  march 
of  the  Grande  Armee  was  as  disastrous  as  an  incursion 
of  the  Tartar  Horde.  The  country  was  devastated ; 
the  houses  were  pillaged  ;  the  owners  shot ;  churches 
deserted ;  horses  stabled  in  the  sacred  places ;  holy 
ikons  burnt ;  matrons  and  maidens  ravished  by  these 
heroes  of  the  "  twenty  nations  "  of  the  west.  Resistance 
there  must  be  and  the  villagers  took  up  arms  ;  Kutuzov 
took  chief  command  of  the  army,  but  Barclay  de  Tolly 
still  gave  his  advice,  and  General  Sir  Robert  Wilson 
remained  tactical  counsellor.  On  August  24th  (old 
style)  the  Russians  gave  battle  on  the  banks  of  the 
Moskva,  near  Borodino.  In  this  "  battle  of  the 
generals"  about  120,000  men  were  engaged  on  each 
side,  and  80,000  were  killed,  among  them  18  generals 
and  1 5  other  officers  of  high  rank  in  the  French  army  ; 
and  22  commanding  officers  on  the  Russian  side. 
Over  50,000  corpses  and  30,000  dead  horses  were 
found  in  the  field  of  battle,  and  though  the  Russians 
retreated,  the  French  halted  five  days,  then  they  moved 
forward  upon  Moscow,  being  nearly  starved  and  quite 
tired  of  the  war.    Kutuzov  had  then  to  decide  whether 

2.86 


The  French  Invasion — and  after 

or  not  to   risk  another  battle  in   an   attempt  to   save 
Moscow. 

At  the  Council  of  War,  held  at  Fili,  Barclay  de  Tolly  said 
that  when  it  was  a  matter  of  the  salvation  of  Russia,  Moscow 
was  only  a  city  like  any  other.     Other  generals,  like  Grabbe, 
declared    that   although  it  would   be  glorious  to  die    betore 
Moscow,  the  question  they  had  to  decide  was  not  what  would 
add  to  their  glory,  but  to  the  defeat  of  the  enemy      Prince 
Eugen  of  Wurtemburg  held  that  honour  ought  to  be  placed 
before  all,  and  that  Moscow  ought  to  become  the  tomb  ot 
every  true  Russian,  all  should  choose  death  rather  than  flight. 
Wilson,  whose  object  was  rather  the  defeat  of  Napoleon  than 
the  preservation  of  Russia,  said  Moscow,  to  them,  must  be  only 
a  city    "like   any  other."     Ermolev,   Ostermann,   Beningsen 
and  others  were  in  favour  of  a  last  battle.     "  Amid  such  diverse 
counsel,"  said  Kutuzov,  "  my  head,  be  it  good  or  bad,  must 
decide  for  itself,"  and  he  ordered  a  retreat  through  the  town, 
but  he  himself  would  not  enter  it,  and  wept  as  he  hurriedly 
passed  the  suburbs. 

During  the  first  decade  of  the  eighteenth  century 
there  were  joyous  days  in  Moscow;  in  1 801  Alex- 
ander was  crowned;  in  1803  he  revisited  the  town 
when  there  were  public  rejoicings  for  the  victories 
over  the  Turks;  when  in  181 2,  after  the  outbreak  of 
hostilities  Alexander  came  to  Moscow,  the  patriotic 
citizens  promised  to  raise  80,000  men  m  that  district 
and  equip  them.  The  Tsar  returned  to  St  Petersburg 
and  appointed  Count  Rostopchin  governor;  a  clever 
man,  courtier,  wit,  cynic,  he  proved  an  able  admmis- 
trator,  possessed  the  gift  of  inciting  and  controlling  the 
uneducated  masses,  so  his  plan  to  destroy  the  city 
escaped  opposition  from  the  inhabitants. 

Rostopchin  studied  the  peasants'  ways  and  knew  how  to 
throw  dust  in  the  eyes  of  all.  "  I  do  everything  to  gam  the 
goodwill  of  everybody.  My  two  visits  to  the  Iberian  Mother 
of  God,  the  freedom  of  access  I  allow  to  all,  the  verification  ot 
weights  and  measures,  even  the  fifty  blows  with  a  stick  to  a 
sub-officer  who  made  the  mujiks  wait  too  long  for  the>r  salt 
have  won   me  the  confidence  of  your   devoted   and   faithful 

287 


The  Story  of  Moscow 


^\ 


r  \ 


subjects.  I  resolved  at  any  disagreeable  news  to  question  its 
truth ;  by  this  means  I  weaken  the  first  impression  and  before 
there  is  time  to  verify  it,  other  news  will  come  which  will 
need  to  be  attended  to."  The  Government  mistrusted  the 
people,  most  of  whom  are  serfs,  and  might  allow^  themselves 
to  be  tempted  by  the  proclamations  of  '•  freedom  for  all  "  which 
were  issued  by  Napoleon.  Rostopchin  gave  the  patriot 
Glinka  300,000  roubles  to  be  used  as  would  best  serve  the 
interests  of  Moscow,  but  Glinka  returned  the  money,  for  all 
were  ready  enough  to  resist  the  invader.  Rostopchin  invented 
victories :  he  caused  news  of  one  by  Ostermann  and  another  by 
Wittgenstein  to  be  promulgated,  and  though  sensible  people 
did  not  believe  him,  the  ignorant  were  faithful  to  the  end. 
'•  Fear  nothing,"  he  said  to  the  citizens ;  •'  a  storm  has  come  ; 
we  will  dissipate  it ;  the  grist  will  be  ground  into  meal. 
Some  think  Napoleon  is  coming  to  stay ;  others  that  he 
thinks  only  to  skin  us.  He  makes  the  soldiers  expect  the 
Field-Marshal's  baton,  beggars  think  to  get  gold,  and  while 
such  simpletons  await  him,  he  takes  them  by  the  neck  and 
hurls  them  to  death."  Again  :  "  I  will  answer  with  my  head 
that  the  scoundrel  shall  not  enter  the  city  ;  if  he  attempts  this 
I  shall  call  on  all.  Forward,  comrades  of  Moscow !  Let  us 
out  to  fight.  We  shall  be  100,000  ;  we  shall  take  with  us 
the  ikon  of  the  Virgin,  150  guns  and  be  sure  we  shall  finish 
the  affair  one  and  all."  After  Borodino  he  issued  another 
proclamation  :  "  Brothers,  we  are  many  and  ready  to  sacrifice 
life  for  the  salvation  of  our  land,  and  prevent  the  scoundrel 
entering  Moscow ;  you  must  help.  Moscow  is  our  mother ; 
she  has  suckled  us,  nursed  us,  enriched  us.  In  the  name  of 
the  Mother  of  God  I  call  on  you  to  help  to  defend  the  Holy 
Places  of  Moscow,  of  Russia!  Arm  yourselves  how  you  can, 
on  foot  or  horseback,  take  only  enough  food  for  three  days, 
^o  with  the  Holy  Cross,  preceded  by  the  standards  from  the 
Churches,  and  assemble  on  the  three  Hills.  I  shall'  he  there, 
and  together  we  will  exterminate  the  invaders.  Glory  in 
Heaven  for  those  who  go !  Eternal  peace  for  those  who  die ! 
Punishment  at  the  Last  Day  for  all  who  hold  back  !  " 

To  the  last  Rostopchin  nursed  the  illusion  of  the 
citizens  ;  he  told  them  men  were  at  work  upon  some 
wonderful  military  engine — a  fire  balloon — which  would 
destroy  the  French  army  instantaneously.  Meanwhile 
the  Archbishop  Augustine,  who  had  ordered  the  pro- 

288 


The  French  Invasion — and  after 

cession  through  the  town  of  the  ikons  of  the  Iberian 
Mother  of  God,  the  Virgin  of  Smolensk,  was  instructed 
to  take  the  sacred  treasures  to  Vladimir.  Rostopchin 
had  but  one  serious  complaint  against  Kutuzov ;  he 
had  asked  for  three  days*  notice  if  the  town  was  to  be 
abandoned,  he  got  but  twenty-four  hours.  Every- 
thing of  value  that  could  be  removed  was  packed  and 
sent  away  ;  there  was  a  general  exodus  on  the  night 
of  the  I  St  September  (old  style)  and  Rostopchin  left 
with  the  Russian  army,  the  rear-guard  of  which  was 
quitting  the  city  by  the  Preobrajenski  suburb  at  the 
same  time  that  the  advance-guard  of  the  French  army 
entered  it  by  the  Dragomilov  Zastava.  Before  he 
left  Rostopchin  opened  the  prisons,  gave  the  lowest 
class  the  entry  to  the  arsenal,  and  ordered  the  stores 
to  be  fired ;  also,  he  put  to  death  one  Vereshchagin, 
accused  of  publishing  Napoleon's  proclamation,  a  deed 
that  was  no  less  criminal  because  needless.  And  here 
Rostopchin's  work  ended  ;  if  he  had  received  longer 
notice  of  Kutuzov's  decision  to  abandon  the  town  he 
would  doubtless  have  saved  more  of  the  valuable  portable 
property  of  state  and  church,  and  might  have  destroyed 
the  town.  With  reference  to  all  the  correspondence 
that  ensued  as  to  the  party  responsible  for  the  firing  of 
Moscow,  it  can  be  said  only  that  Rostopchin  and  the 
Russians  would  like  to  have  had  the  credit  for  making 
a  so  magnificent  sacrifice,  but  it  was  of  political  ex- 
pedience that  the  Russians  should  believe  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  holy  places  and  their  revered  city  directly 
due  to  the  invader. 

The  apologists  of  Napoleon  attribute  his  misconduct 
of  the  campaign  to  ill-health  ;  as  likely  as  not  the 
thwarting  of  his  plans  by  the  enemy,  his  defeats  and 
doubtful  victories  caused  his  illness.  Whether  his 
genius  failed  him  or  not,  there  can  be  no  doubt  of 
the  magnitude  of  the  conception  and  the  utter  ineptitude 

T  289 


l/i 


A 


'1 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

exhibited  in  its  execution.  After  Borodino  his  generals 
lost  faith  in  him  ;  they  remained  taciturn  and  morose, 
until  at  two  o'clock  on  the  afternoon  of  September  the 
2nd,  the  staff  obtained  their  first  view  of  Moscow  from 
the  summit  of  the  Poklonnaya  Hill,  the  "  salutation  " 
point  of  the  Sparrow  Hills.  In  the  bright  sunlight  of 
the  early  autumn,  the  city,  resplendent  with  gold  domes 
and  glittering  crosses,  seemed  the  fitting  goal  for  their 
long  "deferred  hopes  and  they  of  one  accord  raised  a 
joyful  shout,  "  Moscou  !  a  Moscou  /  '* 

Even  Napoleon  expressed  his  admiration  and  delight, 
and  received  the  warm  congratulations  of  his  now  en- 
thusiastic generals.     It  was  rumoured  that  an  officer  had 
arrived  from  the  town  to  discuss  terms  of  surrender  : 
Napoleon  halted,  but  grew  uneasy  when  the  expected 
messenger  could  not  be  found  and  there  were  no  signs  of 
an  approaching  delegate  or  of  that  deputation  of  gor- 
geously robed  boyards  he  had  fondly  hoped  would  attend 
his  coming  to  surrender  the  keys  of  the  Kremlin  and  sue 
for  his  clemency  towards  the  citizens.      An  hour  before 
he  had  commanded  Count  Duronelle  to  hurry  on  to 
Moscow  and  arrange  for  the  ostentatious  performance 
of  the  customary  ceremony.      He  was  now  told  that 
the  town  had  been  abandoned  by  the  officials,  that  the 
citizens  had  forsaken  it,  but  Moscow,  empty  it  is  true, 
was  at  his  feet.     Murat  had  found  a   few  stragglers, 
amongst  them  a  French  type-setter,  and  these  wretched 
fugitives  were  ordered   before  the   staff,  and   by  ^  their 
spokesman    begged   for  protection.     "Imbecile"  was 
the  only   word   Napoleon  trusted   himself  to    answer. 
His  chagrin,  his  wounded  self-love,  his  mortification  at 
the  unexpected  turn  of  affairs  unnerved  him.      One  of 
the  Russian  prisoners  describes  the  effect  of  the  news 
thus : — 

"Napoleon  was  thoroughly  overcome  and  completely  lost 
his  self-control.     His  calm  and  regular  step  was  changed  into 

290 


The  French  Invasion — and  after 

a  quick,  uneven  tread.  He  kept  looking  around  him,  fidgetted, 
stood  still,  trembled  all  over,  looked  fierce,  tweaked  his  own 
nose,  pulled  a  glove  off  and  put  it  on  again,  tore  another  glove 
out  of  his  pocket,  rolled  it  up  into  a  ball,  and,  as  if  in  deep 
thought,  put  it  into  his  other  pocket,  again  took  it  out,  and 
again  put  it  back,  pulled  the  other  glove  from  his  hand,  then 
quickly  drew  it  on  again,  and  kept  repeating  this  process. 
This  went  on  for  an  hour,  during  which  the  generals  standing 
behind  him  remained  like  statues,  not  even  daring  to  move." 

Various  accounts  are  given  respecting  the  first  entry 
of  the  troops  into  Moscow.  Some  of  the  inhabitants 
who  remained,  having  faith  in  the  assurances  of  Ros- 
topchin,  welcomed  the  invaders  believing  them  to  be 
some  of  the  foreign  allies  of  the  Russian  army.  An 
official  who  had  not  been  able  to  escape  states  that  he 
saw  some  serfs  carrying  arms  from  the  arsenal,  one,  who 
was  intoxicated  had  a  musket  in  one  hand  and  in  the 
other  a  carbine,  for  remarking  upon  the  folly  of  such 
an  armament,  the  man  threw  first  the  musket  then 
the  carbine  at  him,  and  a  crowd  of  rioters  rushed  from 
the  arsenal  all  armed,  as  the  advance-guard  of  the  French 
approached.  The  captain  begged  an  interpreter  to  ad- 
vise the  crowd  to  throw  down  their  arms  and  not  engage 
in  an  unequal  struggle,  but  the  ignorant  people,  excited 
if  not  intoxicated,  fired  a  few  rounds  accidentally,  or  by 
design,  and  the  French  thereupon  made  use  of  their 
artillery,  and  a  wild  fight  ensued.  After  some  ten  or 
a  dozen  had  been  sabred,  the  others  asked  for  quarter, 
and  received  it.  Another  story  is  to  the  effect  that 
some  of  the  armed  citizens  mistaking  a  general  for 
Napoleon,  fired  at  him  as  he  approached  the  Kremlin 
and  were  then  charged  by  his  guard  and  put  to  flight. 
When  later.  Napoleon  rode  up  to  the  Borovitski  Gate, 
a  decrepid  soldier,  a  tottering  veteran,  too  stubborn  to 
forsake  his  post,  resolutely  blocked  the  way  and  was 
mercilessly  struck  down  by  the  advance-guard. 

The    fires    commenced   the   same   evening   that   the 

291 


l.,^  A-r-SMW***"-!'*  "**■ 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

French  entered  the  town  ;  there  were  no  engines  avail- 
able and  the  soldiers,  hungry  and  joyful,  disregarded 
the  danger  and  attended  to  their  more  immediate 
needs.  Rostopchin  had  ordered  that  the  contents  ot 
the  «  cellars ''  should  be  burned,  but  there  was  no  lack 
of  liquor,  and  the  conquerors  were  not  to  be  denied. 
As  the  "  Warriors  "  sing  in  Zhukovski's  epic  :— 

•'  O,  yes  ! — the  ruby  stream  to  drain 
Is  glory's  prJde  and  pleasure — 
Wine!     Conqueror  thou  of  care  and  pain, 
Thou  art  the  hero's  treasure." 

So  whilst  rank  and  file  caroused,  the  small  beginnings 
of  the   great  conflagration    were   neglected    and    men 
were   powerless  to  cope  with  the  later  developments, 
though  some  worked  like  Trojans.     The  stores  of  oil, 
of  spirits,  the  inflammable  wares  in  the  Gostinnoi  Dvor 
were  ignited,  and  although  Marshal  Mortier   worked 
well  to  extinguish  the  fires  near  the  Kremlin,  the  lack 
of  engines  and  the  continuous  outbursts  of  fresh  hres, 
made  complete  success  impossible.     The  looting  of  the 
town  commenced  at  once ;   soon   the   greedy   soldiers 
left  their  partly  cooked  rations  to  search  for  valuables, 
even  the  sentinels  forsook  their  posts  and  they  fought 
with  the   rabble   from   the  prisons  for  such  goods  as 
seemed  most  easily  removed.      In  time,  not  content  with 
such  as  had  been  abandoned,  they  commenced  to  rob 
from  the  person  ;  women  were  spoiled  of  head-dresses 
and  gowns,  the  men  fought  with  each  other  for   the 
temporary  possession  of  pelf.     The  only  lights  for  this 
unholy  work  were  the  torches  all  carried  and  the  fires 
the  looters  set  ablaze  in   order  that  they   might  see. 
When  Napoleon   thought   the   conflagration    was   the 
result  of  a  preconcerted  scheme  he  ordered  all  jncendi- 
aries  to  be  shot,  and  then  none  durst  carry  a  light  by 
night  without  risk   of  being  there  and  then  shot  by 
292 


T'he  French  Invasion — and  after 

some  predatory  soldier  on  his  own  initiative,  or,  not 
less  surely  executed  in  due  form  after  a  mock  court- 
martial  at  dawn  of  day. 

Discipline  was  lax  ;  among  the  soldiery  of  the  army 
of  occupation,  many  bold  souls  did  just  as  they  wished, 
and   of  their  enormities,  their   cruelties  and  shameful 
orgies,  nothing  need  be  written.     Others  had  leave  of 
absence— a  licence  to  pilfer.     They  not  only  ransacked 
the  occupied  houses,  but  dragged   people   from   their 
hiding  places,  harnessed  them  to  carts,  with  bayonet 
and  worse  urged  them  on,  heavily  laden,  through  burn- 
ing streets,  and  saving  themselves  from  the  crumbling 
walls  and  roofs,  saw  their  miserable  captives  crushed, 
buried,  or  struggling    among  the  burning  debris,  and 
abandoned  to  their  fate.      In  the  immediate  neighbour- 
hood of  the  Kremlin  the  pilfering  was  oflicial ;  in  the 
Cathedral  of  the  Assumption,  great  scales  and  steelyards 
were  set  up,  and  outside  two  furnaces,  one  for  gold  the 
other  for  silver,  were  kept  ever  burning  to  melt  down 
the  settings  torn  from  the  sacred  pictures,  the  church 
vessels,  the  gilt  ornaments,  aye,  even  the  decorations 
on   the   priests'    robes.     Horses   were    stabled   in  the 
cathedrals    and    churches;    Marshal  Davoust  slept  in 
the    sanctuary    with    sentinels    on    both    sides    of  the 
«* royal   doors"    of    the    ikonostas.     "Destroy   that 
mosque,"    was   Napoleon's    peremptory  order  to   one 
of  his  generals  with  reference  to  the  Church  of  the 
Protection  of  the  Virgin,  but  he  delayed  executing  the 
order  finding  this  cathedral  convenient  as  a  stable  and 
storehouse.     At  first  the  fire  was  most  severe  in  the 
warehouses  flanking  the  Grand  Square  and  along  the 
quays.     It  spread  most  rapidly  amidst  the  great  stores 
on   the  south  side  of  the  river.     The  Balchoog  was 
a  sea  of  flame  and  the  whole  of  the  Zamoskvoretski 
quarter  was  practically  destroyed.     On  the  other  side 
the  burning  Gostinnoi  Dvor  ignited  neighbouring  stores 

293 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

in   the    Nikolskaya,    Ilyinka    and    elsewhere    on   the 
Ki'tai  Gorod.     The  gleeds  carried  by  a  north  wind 
threatened  the  palaces  in  the  Kremlin— where,  under 
a  cloud  of  sparks,  the  buildings  glowed  red  and  seemed 
to  many  to  be  also  burning.     The  ammunition  had 
already   been   brought    there   and   caused   the   French 
great   anxiety.     Napoleon,   after   a  peaceful   night    in 
the    royal    palace,   was   unwilling  to  believe  that  the 
fires    were    other    than    accidental,    but    as    the    day 
waned  and  the  fires  increased  in  number   as  well  as 
size,   he   grew    agitated    and    exclaimed,   "They  are 
true  to  themselves  these  Scythians  !      It  is  the  work  ot 
incendiaries ;  what  men  then  are  they,  these  Scythians  . 

He  passed  the  next  night  in  the   Kremlin,  but  not 
at  rest.     It  was  with  the  greatest  difficuhy  that  the 
soldiers  on   the   roof  of  the    palace  disposed  of  the 
burning  fragments  that  at  times  fell  upon   the  metal 
like  a   shower  of  hail.     The  heat  was  intense;    the 
stores  of  spirits    exploded,   and   blue   flames  hid  the 
yellow  and  orange  of  the  burning  timbers  and  darted 
with  lightning  rapidity  in  all  directions,  a  snake-hke 
progress  through  the  denser  parts  of  the  town,  firing 
even  the  logs  of  wood  with  which  the  streets  were  at 
that  time  paved.     When  the  fire  reached  the  hospitals, 
where  20,000  unfortunate  wounded  lay  almost  helpless, 
scenes  of  unmitigated  horror   were  witnessed  by  the 
invaders  unable  to  succour,  and  chiefly  intent  on  their 
own   safety.     The   famous   Imperial   Guard  stationed 
in  the   Kremlin  was  divided   into  two  sections ;    one 
was  occupied  in  struggling  against  the  fire,  the  other 
held   all   in   readiness  for  instant  flight.     At  last  the 
Church  of  the  Trinity  caught  fire,  and  whilst  the  Guard 
at  once  set  about  its  destruction.  Napoleon,  with  the 
King  of  Naples,  Murat,  Beauharnais,  Berthier  and  his 
staff,  left  the  Kremlin  hurriedly  for  the  Petrovski  Palace. 
The  Tverskaya  was  ablaze,  passage  by  that  way  im- 

294 


' 


The  French  Invasion — and  after 

possible ;  the  party  crossed  for  the  Nikitskaya  but  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  the  Arbat  lost  their  way,  and 
after    many    adventures   and   near    escapes    found   the 
suburbs,    and     by    a    roundabout    route    reached    the 
Palace  at    nightfall.       In    many   places    the   fire   had 
burned  out  by   September  the   5th,  and  that  night  a 
heavy    rain,  luckily  continued  during    the    next  day, 
stopped  the  spread  of  the  fire,  and  on  Sunday  the  8th, 
Napoleon  returned  over  the  still  smouldering  embers 
to  his  old  quarters  in  the   Kremlin.     Amidst  or  near 
by  the  cinders  of  the  capital.  Napoleon  remained  for 
more  than  a  month.    The  remaining  inhabitants  suflfered 
great  hardships;   some   fraternised    with    the    French 
soldiers    and    helped    in    quenching   fires,   but    parties 
accused  of  incendiarism  were  still  led  out  almost  daily 
to  execution.     The  French  residents  were  in  a  most 
pitiable  condition  ;   Napoleon  could  not  or  would  not 
do    anything    for   them;    they,  and    the    rest   of  the 
citizens,  with  many  of  the  soldiers  were  soon  threatened 

with  starvation.  . 

This  campaign  more  than  any  other  undertaking  ot 
his  life,  reveals  the  despicable  character  of  Napoleon 
as  a  man  ;  even  as  a  commander  he  seemed  to  have 
lost  grip  of  the  serious  situation  of  his  troops  :   he,  who 
at  one   time   could  never   make  a   mistake  now   only 
happened  on  the  right  thing  by  accident,  and  that  rarely. 
In  an  impoverished  province,  amidst  a  famished  popula- 
tion, he  could  not  possibly  winter  his  army,  but  acted 
as   though   he  intended  to   do   so.      He    made   stupid 
speeches   respecting  the    career  of  Peter   the   Great; 
read  up  the  proclamations  of  Pugatchev,  hoping  to  find 
in  them  something  which  would  enable  him  to  incite 
the  people  to  rebel ;  tried  even  to  make  allies  of  the 
Tartars,  and  failed  ;  at  the  same  time  he  sent  again  and 
again  to  Alexander  professing  warm  personal  friendship 
and  readiness  to  conclude  peace.     Alexander  heard  his 

295 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

overtures  with  silent  contempt.  The  Russian  generals 
were  mercilessly  harassing  the  divisions  of  the  Great 
Army  in  the  provinces,  and  armed  bands  of  peasants 
sought  revenge  on  those  invaders  who  had  violated 
women  and  children,  and  desecrated  the  churches. 

On  October  the  6th,  Napoleon  decided  to  begin  his 
retreat  on  the  morrow,  and  that  same  evening  drew  up 
a  scheme  for  the  visit  of  a  Parisian  theatrical  company 
to  Moscow  and  its  installation  there.  Of  precious 
metal  from  the  churches  of  the  Kremlin,  nearly  five 
tons  of  silver  and  four  and  a  half  hundredweights  of 
gold  had  been  melted  into  ingots.  The  great  wooden 
cross,  thirty  feet  in  length,  which  surmounted  Ivan 
Veliki,  had  been  regilt  at  great  cost  but  the  year  before, 
and  the  French,  thinking  it  solid  gold,  threw  it  down. 
Like  all  the  crosses,  it  was  of  worthless  material,  but 
contained  a  small  cross  of  pure  gold,  which  these 
disgusted  pillagers  failed  to  find. 

When  the  time  came  for  Napoleon  to  leave  Moscow 
he  was  unwilling  that  any  should  know  his  intention. 
"  Perhaps  1  shall  return  to  Moscow,"  he  said  to  one 
of  his  company,  but  as  he  had  already  given  orders  to 
Lariboisiere,  the  chief  of  artillery,  to  destroy  the 
Kremlin,  he  doubtless,  better  than  anyone  else,  knew 
that  this  could  not  be.  Napoleon  thought  to  destroy 
everything  of  value  left  standing  in  the  town ;  walls, 
towers,  palaces,  churches,  convents,  monasteries — all 
were  ruined.  "  The  defeat  of  Murat  at  Tarutin  forced 
Napoleon  to  hurry  away  earlier  than  he  intended,  and 
to  Marshal  Mortier  was  left  the  task  of  destruction. 
He  having  made  the  requisite  preparations  left  during 
the  night  of  the  1 1  - 1 2th  October,  and,  not  far  from  Fili, 
gave  the  signal  by  cannon  for  the  firing  of  the  mines.  It 
was  a  terrible  explosion  in  the  darkness  and  stillness  of 
night ;  it  killed  some  and  wounded  many,  and  was  fol- 
lowed quickly  by  minor  explosions  at  different  points." 

296 


The  French  Invasion — and  after 

Napoleon  failed  even  in  this  attempt;  the  damage 
done  was  trifling — the  tower  over  the  Nikolski  Gate 
fell,  so  did  one  at  the  corner  of  the  Kremlin  wall. 
There  were  breaches  here  and  there,  but  churches  and 
other  buildings  remained  intact.  It  is  said  that  the 
heavy  rain  destroyed  the  trains  of  gunpowder  to  the 
mines,  from  which  subsequently  sixty  tons  of  the  ex- 
plosive were  taken.  Fesanzac  states  Mortier  inten- 
tionally used  powder  of  bad  quality,  not  wishing  to 
destroy  the  buildings ;  it  is  more  probable  that  he  used 
the  best  he  could  get  and  that  the  director  of  artillery 
was  unwilling  to  waste  serviceable  munitions  of  war  he 
might  require  later. 

The  story  of  the  retreat  of  the  Grande  Armee  is 
well  known  and  need  not  be  recapitulated  here.  If  the 
French  and  their  allies  suffered,  the  peasants  also 
endured  terrible  hardships.  Shot  down  for  defending 
the  honour  of  their  wives  and  daughters  ;  for  protecting 
their  property  ;  for  refusing  to  honour  the  false  hundred 
rouble  notes  Napoleon  had  ordered  to  be  printed  in 
order  to  reward  his  soldiers ;  on  any  and  every  other 
pretence  whatever,  they  yet  accomplished  a  terrible 
revenge,  harassing  the  invaders  to  the  last.  The 
French  slew  and  destroyed ;  wrecked  old  walls, 
desecrated  churches,  and  in  sheer  spite  threw  the  spoil 
they  could  not  carry  further  into  the  rivers  and  lakes. 
Wilson  urged  Kutuzov  to  engage  the  refugees,  whom 
he  termed  ghosts  roaming  too  far  from  their  graves, 
but  Kutuzov  trusted  to  the  cold  and  the  distance  to 
wear  out  the  remnant  of  the  great  army.  He  under- 
estimated the  powers  of  human  endurance,  some  70,000 
escaped  of  the  half  million  or  more  that  had  in- 
vaded Russia.  Napoleon,  that  **  incomparable  military 
genius,"  does  not  appear  on  this  occasion  to  have 
possessed  the  astuteness  even  of  the  mediaeval  Tartar 
Khans,   who   on    their    invasions  withdrew   "without 

297 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

ostensible  cause'*  at  the  end  of  the  season.  More 
selfish  than  they,  he  saved  himself  by  deserting  his 
men.  They  died  like  flies  on  the  approach  of  winter  ; 
some  were  burned  during  their  sleep  by  outraged 
peasants ;  more  were  slipped  through  holes  in  the  ice  ; 
many  reached  Vilna  only  to  be  entrapped  by  the 
Russian  soldiers,  or,  if  still  more  unfortunate,  tossed 
from  the  upper  windows  of  the  Ghetto  and  kicked  to 
death  by  old  polish  Jewesses  in  the  streets.  Piteous? 
Yes,  but  it  is  the  pity  one  feels  for  the  burglarious 
murderer  who  falls  on  the  spikes  of  the  area  railings. 
The  invasion  of  the  twenty  nations  had  even  such 
inglorious  ending ;  its  effect  upon  the  Muscovites  was 
similar  to  that  which  followed  a  great  Tartar  raid  ; 
it  was  unexpected — disastrous,  and,  as  long  as  re- 
membered, engendered  in  the  Russ  that  same  distrust 
of  the  west  it  had  previously  entertained  of  the  east. 

In  Moscow  there  are  now  few  traces  of  the  French 
invasion,  for  its  effect  was  general  rather  than  particular. 
The  palace  occupied  by  Napoleon  has  been  destroyed  ; 
in  its  place  the  Tsar  Nicholas  built  his  new  Imperial 
residence,  from  the  windows  of  which  may  still  be 
seen  the  old  Borovitski  Gate,  by  which  Napoleon  first 
entered  and  last  left  the  Kremlin.  Beyond  that  gate 
there  is  now  an  immense  and  stately  pile,  the  magnifi- 
cent new  Cathedral  of  Our  Saviour,  built  by  the  people 
in  gratitude  for  their  deliverance  from  the  invaders. 
A  monument  that  furnishes  conclusive  evidence  that 
the  spirit  of  earnestness  which  actuated  the  old  cathedral 
builders  is  not  yet  extinct  in  Russia. 

One  other  memorial  of  the  times  will  attract  the 
attention  of  visitors  to  the  Kremlin  :  arranged  along 
the  front  of  the  arsenal,  opposite  the  Senate  House, 
are  ranged  the  cannon  captured  from,  or  abandoned 
by,  the  Grande  Armee,  The  inscriptions,  one  in 
French  the  other  in  Russian,  on  the  plates  to  the 
298 


"^T-" 


i^ 


1*^^ 


BOROVITSKI   GATE  AND   ST   SiWlOUR  S   CATHEDRAL 


299 


■.wmammm^*^- 


The  French  Invasion — and  after 

right  and  left  of  the  principal  entrance  set  forth  the 
origin  of  these  trophies.  Most  of  the  weapons  have 
the  Napoleonic  initial  boldly  engraved  upon  the  breech  ; 
actually  only  365  are  French  ;  there  are  189  Austrian, 
123  Prussian,  40  Neapolitan,  36  Bavarian,  i  West- 
phalian,  12  Saxon,  i  Hanoverian,  70  Italian,  3 
Wurtemburgian,  8   Spanish,  22  Dutch,   5  Polish— in 

all  875. 

Before  the  great  fire  there  were  over  2500  brick  or 
stone  buildings  in  Moscow,  and  about  6600  of  wood ; 
the  fire  destroyed  over  2000  of  the  brick  buildings  and 
some  4500  of  the  wooden   dwellings.      It  may  seem 
strange  that  so  many  of  the  old  buildings  escaped.     Of 
course  the  old  convents,  monasteries  and  churches  in 
the  suburbs,  like  the  Novo  Devichi,  Simonov,  Petrovski 
Palace,  etc.,  were  beyond  the   limit  of  the  fire  ;  the 
remainder,  many  of  them,  stood  in  their  own  grounds  or 
were  isolated  from  other  buildings,  much  as  the  Strastnoi 
Monastyr  is  now.     At  that  time,  although  the  town 
limits  were  practically  the  same  as  at  present— the  line 
of  the    Kammer    College    rampart— the   houses    were 
fewer  and,  outside  the  Kitai  Gorod,  few  streets  con- 
sisted  of  continuous   rows  of  houses.      If  the  visitor 
wishes  to  have  a  clear   comprehension  of  the  sort  of 
town,  in  detail,  the  great  village  of  Moscow  was  at  the 
beginning  of  this  century,  a  drive  along  the  Sadovia  or 
through  the  side  streets  between  that  thoroughfare  and 
the  boundary  will  help  its  acquisition.      More,  it  will 
bring  him  face  to  face  with  the  best  of  the  buildings 
of  "  Skorodom  "  that  sprang  from  among  the  cinders 
of  the  great  conflagration.     A  pleasant,  bungalow-like, 
garden-town  ;  spacious  houses,  with  pretentious  facades 
in  the  pseudo-classic  style  of  the  first  empire  ;  mostly 
squat  and   inconvenient,   irregular,   bright  with   native 
carpentry,  stucco,  painted  metal  roofs,  and  clean  washed 
walls.      It  is  this  Moscow  that  is  so  picturesque  and  so 

301 


„  ^  «-r.  Til  Til  I  Til  III 


The  Story  of  Moscoiv 

rapidly  disappearing  before  the  march  of  industrialism, 
sanitation,  and  an  increasing  population.  When  Alex- 
ander I.  visited  the  town  in  1816,  great  haste  was 
made  to  present  a  fair  show  of  dwellings  in  the  vast 
open  spaces ;  some,  painted  and  distempered,  were 
without  windows,  roofs,  staircases,  or  even  floors  ;  these 
walls,  then  little  more  than  the  semblances  of  buildings, 
just  such  as  now  put  on  the  stage,  were  later  utilised  by 
fitting  dwellings,  of  a  sort,  to  them.  Some  have  long 
served  their  purpose ;  others,  curious,  quaint  and  singular, 
still  remain — but  he  who  would  see  them  must  not  long 
delay. 

With  reference  to  the  historic  and  sacred  buildings, 
those  answerable  for  their  keeping  sought  only  to  re- 
store, enrich,  and  preserve.  At  no  time  has  Moscow 
possessed  more  or  better  memorials  of  the  past  than  she 
does  at  present.  The  risk  of  destruction  by  fire  has 
greatly  lessened ;  of  further  demolition  by  ruthless 
invaders  there  is,  happily,  no  longer  a  possibility,  and 
the  slower  but  not  less  certain  destruction  from  the 
inroad  of  industrialism  may  be  stayed  by  the  timely 
awakening  of  the  Moscow  citizens  to  the  value  of  the 
relics  they  possess,  and  the  desire  not  only  to  preserve 
them  for  their  own  sake,  but  also  as  ornaments  to  the 
old  town  of  which  all  are  so  fond  and  now  anxious 
to  beautify. 


302 


CHAPTER  XV 

Itinerary  and  Miscellaneous 
Information 

"Some  few  particulars  I  have  set  down  fit  to  be  known  ot 
your  crude  traveller.'— Ben  Jonson. 

TO  many  Moscow  seems  so  far  distant,  and  Russia 
so  unknown,  that  a  few  hints  to  intending  travellers 
may  be  welcome.  In  the  first  place  as  to  the  best 
season  for  the  journey ;  notwithstanding  all  the  claims 
advanced  in  favour  of  winter— and  they  are  not  m- 
considerable— for  a  first  visit,  or  an  only  visit,  the 
summer  is  preferable.  Moscow,  the  brilliant  and 
gorgeous  is  seen  at  its  best  in  the  bright  sunlight; 
it  is  more  picturesque  and  more  conveniently  to  be 
viewed  in  detail  or  entirety.  The  latter  part  of  June 
is  the  best  period  for  then  is  the  season  of  the  "  white 
nights  "  when  there  is  no  need  of  street  lamps  and  the 
days  are  more  than  long  enough  for  sight-seeing. 

The  shortest  and  best  route  is  by  way  of  Flushing, 
Berlin,  Warsaw  and  Smolensk  :  distance  from  London 
1800  miles;  time  65  hours.  Return  tickets  available 
for  six  weeks  may  be  purchased  at  any  London 
terminus:  first  class  ^16,  13s.  9^-,  second  class 
y;io,  19s.  yd.  Through  travellers  should  start  by 
the  night  service  from  London,  and  change  trains  in 
Berlin  at  theZoologischer  Garten  station;  leave  Moscow 
by   the    5    P.M.   train    and   in    Berlin    change   at   the 

303 


.__„pjgji(fc^a(j^,^  to  *  -XH 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

Alexanderplatz  station  ;  by  these  through  services  the 
drive  across  Warsaw  is  avoided. 

Of  the  many  other  routes  that  recommended  as  the 
most  enjoyable  is  via  Gothenburg,  by  the  canal  to 
Stockholm  and  thence  by  the  excellent  steamers  to 
Abo,  Hango,  Helsingfors  or  direct  to  St  Petersburg 
and  on  to  Moscow  by  the  Nikolai  railway.  By  all 
routes  a  Foreign  Office  passport,  vise  by  the  Russian 
Consul,  is  indispensable. 

Compared  with  the  leading  hotels  in  other  great 
towns,  those  of  Moscow  leave  much  to  be  desired. 
Hotel  Billo  on  the  Great  Lubianka  is  centrally  situated 
and  much  frequented  by  the  English  visitors,  who 
there  find  adequate  accommodation  and  the  greatest 
courtesy.  Hotel  Dresden,  on  the  Tverskaya,  is  upon 
even  higher  ground,  opposite  the  residence  of  the 
Governor  -  General ;.  Hotel  Continental  facing  the 
Grand  Theatre,  and  the  Moskovski  Traktir,  opposite 
the  Vosskresenski  Gate,  are  also  well  kept  and  are 
near  the  Kremlin  ;  the  Slavianski  Bazaar  is  in  the  Kitai 
Gorod.  The  Russian  custom,  which  it  is  advisable 
should  be  followed  if  a  long  stay  is  made,  is  to  take 
rooms  in  a  hotel  or  elsewhere;  the  rent  includes 
heating  in  winter,  and  the  use  of  the  samovar  twice 
daily.  The  Kokoref  Hotel,  on  the  south  side  of  the 
river,  is  one  of  the  largest  establishments  on  this  plan 
and  many  of  its  rooms  command  superb  views  of  the 
KremHn  (see  p.  13)  and  are  in  demand  by  English 
visitors  on  this  account.  The  restaurants  are  good  ;  in 
summer  the  visitor  should  not  fail  to  lunch  in  the 
lofty  court  of  the  Slavianski  Bazaar  which,  like  the 
Bolshoi  Moskovski  Traktir,  is  much  used  by  business 
men.  For  native  dishes  the  Praga,  on  the  Arbat, 
and  Tyestov's,  on  the  Vosskresenski  Place,  are  the  best ; 
the  Ermitage,  on  the  Trubaya  is  more  ostentatious, 
but    the    cuisine    is    good;    the    Saratov    (Srietenka 

304 


Miscellaneous  Information 

Boulevard)  is  favoured  by  university  students.  At 
all  the  service  is  excellent,  and  the  old-fashioned  aUire 
of  the  waiters  unconventional  and  pleasmg.  ihe 
peculiarly  local  dishes  comprise:  ikra  (fresh  caviare), 
batvennia  and  okroshka  (iced  soups),  shchee  (cabbage 
soup  with  sour  cream),  ukha  (fish  soup),  beluga, 
osternia,  etc.  (diiferent  varieties  of  sturgeon),  poros- 
ianok  (cold  boiled  sucking  pig  with  horse-radish  sauce), 
rasolnik,  yazu  and  barannybok  are  made  dishes ;  the 
appropriate  beverage  is  one  of  the  many  varieties  ot 
kvas,  which  will  be  served  iced  in  fine  old  siher 
beakers  or  tankards  of  native  workmanship.  lea 
with  lemon  at  the  Cafe  Philipov,  on  the  Tverskaya. 

Many  tourists  whilst  on  a  yachting  cruise  m  the 
Baltic  avail  themselves  of  the  steamer's  stay  in  the 
Neva  to  make  a  hurried  visit  to  Moscow.  To  them, 
and  others  whose  stay  is  necessarily  of  short  duration, 
the  following  itinerary  may  be  useful :— 

(i)  Drive  through  the  Kitai  Gorod,  the  Lrrand 
Square,  across  the  Moskvoretski  bridge,  along  the 
quay  to  the  Kammeny  Most;  cross  the  river  and 
enter  the  Kremlin  by  the  Troitski  Gate  and  alight  at 
Ivan  Veliki.  Visit  the  cathedrals  and  monasteries  ot  the 
Kremlin  (Chs.  viii.,  ix.) ;  the  Great  Palace  and  Terem 
(Ch.  vii.)  ;  Potieshni  Dvorets  (Ch.  viii.).  Later  drive 
out  to  the  Novo  Devichi  Convent  (Ch.  xii.)  ;  thence 
to  the  ferry  before  sunset,  dine  at  the  Rostoran  Krinkm, 
return  to  the  Mala  Kammeny  Most  by  steamer— or  by 
tram  to  the  Kaluga  Place— see  the  Kremlin  by  moon- 
light from  the  Kokoref.  , 

(2)  Iberian  Chapel  (Ch.  vii.)  ;  Historical  Museum 
(Ch.  ii.)  ;  Treasury  (Orujni  Palata)  m  the  Kremlm 
(Ch.  vii.);  Spass  na  Boru  (Ch.  ix.)  ;  Ascension 
Convent  (Ch.  xii.);  through  the  Redeemer  Gate 
(Ch.  xiii.)  ;  Vasili  Blajenni  (Ch.  iv.)  ;  Old  Gostinni 
Dvor,  Dom   .^omanovykh   (Ch.    xi.)  ;    walk   up  the 

u  305 


.,^  «,^,.«iiiiaK**«iwi**-*  *»-t-«^ 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

Starai  Ploshchad,  inside  wall  of  the  Kitai  Gorod,  to 
Church  of  St  Nicholas  of  the  Great  Cross.  Then  up 
through  the  market,  or  outside  the  wall  to  the 
Vladimirski  Vorot  (Ch.  ix.)  ;  the  churches  and 
monasteries  in  the  Nikolski  to  St  Mary  of  Kazan 
behind  the  Town  Hall.  Later  up  the  Lubianka  to  the 
church  and  monastery  of  the  Srietenka  (Ch.  x.)  ;  the 
Sukharev  Bashnia,  along  the  boulevard  to  the  Strastnoi 
Monastery  (Ch.  xii.)  ;  drive  past  the  Triumphalma  to 
Khodinski  Pole,  the  Petrovski  Palace,  Park,  etc. 

Note.—Tht  Dom  Romanovykh  is  usually  open  from 
1 1  until  2  on  Tuesdays,  Thursdays  and  Saturdays  ;  the 
Treasury  on  the  same  days ;  and  the  Great  Palace, 
Terem,  etc.,  on  alternate  days  with  these. 

(3)  English  Church,  Conservatorium,  old  and  new 
Universities,  Manege,  Rumiantsev  Museum  (Ch.  x.)  ; 
New  Cathedral  (Ch.  xiv.).  Later  to  the  Tretiakov 
Gallery  (Ch.  x.)  ;  the  Danilovski  and  Donskoi 
Monastyrs  (Ch.  xii.) ;  drive  home  across  the  Krimski 
Bridge,  Skorodom  and  the  Sadovia. 

(4)  Matveiev  memorial  (Ch.  x.)  ;  Church  of  St 
Nicholas,  Church  of  the  Nativity  (Ch.  viii.) ;  Foundling 
Hospital,  Novo  Spasski  Monastyr  (Ch.  xii.);  Krutitski 
Vorot  (p.  142);  Simonov  Monastyr  (Ch.  xii.)  and 
return.      Later    to    Krasnoe    Vorot    and   Prud,    and 

Sokolniki. 

( 5 )  Taininskoe  ;  Church,  Palace  and  Park  at  Ostan- 
kina,  Mordva  (Ch.  xi.);  Petrovski- Razoomovski,  etc. 

Drives  from  the  Town 

{a)  Over  the  Dragomilov  Bridge  to  the  village  of 
Fili,  memorial  church,  and  i%ba  with  a  museum  of 
memorials  of  the  Council  of  War  held  there  by 
Napoleon  in  18 12  (Ch.  xiv.). 

(^)   By  the  Krestovski  Zastava  to  the  old  church 

306 


Miscellaneous  Information 

of  the  regency  at  Taininskoe  ;  the  seventeenth  century 
church  at  Ostankina  ;  near  by  is  the  "  Palace,"  a  wooden 
mansion  belonging  to  the  Sheremetiev  family  ;  beyond 
the  park  and  village  of  Sirlovo  is  the  Mordva  hamlet, 

(Ch.  xii.). 

[c)  By  the  Preobrajenski  Zastava  to  the  suburb  of 
that  name  (Ch.  vii.),  and  Transfiguration  Cemetery, 
and  principal  establishment  of  the  Bezpopovtsi  sect  of 
Old  Believers  (Ch.  ix.). 

[d)  By  the  Rogojski  Zastava  to  the  cemetery  and 
church  of  that  name  for  the  religious  services  of  the 
Old  Believers,  (Ch.  ix.). 

Excursions  by  Railway 

Few  visitors  to  Moscow  leave  Russia  without 
seeing  the  Troitsa  Monastery  (67  versts  on  the 
Yaroslav  Railway),  mentioned  in  Chapter  v.  and  else- 
where, but  although  closely  connected  with  the  history 
of  Moscow  not  within  the  scope  of  this  book.  Other 
places  of  like  or  different  interest  are:  the  New 
Jerusalem  Monastery  near  Krukova,  36  versts  on  the 
Nikolai  Railway  and  about  14  miles  thence  by  road; 
the  battlefield  of  Borodino,  (114  versts  on  the 
Smolensk  Railway)  ;  Nijni-Novgorod,  410  versts, 
but  the  pleasure  fair  has  been  discontinued  and  the 
celebrated  yearly  market  is  now  exclusively  commercial. 

Bibliography 

Of  the  English  books  treating  of  Old  Muscovy  the 
best  contemporaneous  accounts  have  been  reprinted  in 
the  five  volumes  of  the  Hakluyt  Society's  publications 
devoted  to  early  travels  in  Russia.  The  best  con- 
temporary Life  of  Peter  L  in  English  is  that  by 
Alex.   Gordon  ;    among  the  best  recently  published, 

u*  307 


,i  I .   mi'nrrmi  tttti •irrAi 


The  Story  of  Moscow 

the  translation  of  K.  Waliszewski's  study,  and  Eugene 
Scuyler's  account  of  the  Life  and  Times  of  Peter  the 
Great.  For  matters  ecclesiastical  Albert  F.  Heard's 
Russian  Church  and  Russian  Dissent  will  be  found 
most  informing,  and  Mr  W.  J.  Birkbeck's  history  of 
the  Eastern  Church  Society's  work  of  more  particular 
interest  to  Anglican's.  In  another  field  Mr  Alfred 
Maskell's  "Russian  Art"  may  be  found  useful,  and 
the  antiquary  will  find  much  that  is  curious  and 
suggestive  in  «  L'Art  Russe :  ses  origines,"  etc.,  by 
E.  E.  Viollet  le  Due  (Paris,  1877). 

Photography 

Amateur  photographers  should  join  the  Russian 
Photographic  Society,  whose  members  alone  have  the 
right  to  photograph  throughout  the  empire.  Other- 
wise it  will  be  necessary  to  obtain  permission  of  the 
chief  of  the  police  in  each  town  or  district.  The 
Kremlin  is  technically  a  fortress,  and  the  use  of  the 
camera  within  the  walls  forbidden,  but  leave  is  given 
—on  personal  application  to  the  Governor— to  those 
who  are  already  furnished  with  the  police  permit,  or 
are  members  of  the  Photographic  Society.  Applica- 
tion for  membership  should  be  made,  prior  to  visiting 
Russia,  to  the  Secretary,  Russian  Photographic  Society, 
Dom  Djamgarof,  Kusnetski  Most,  Moscow. 


308 


sv^vu 


RV. 


PI 


an    o 


f 


IMOSCOW 


>  Sokolniko 
^  CHURCHES  •  (S' MONASTERIES 

0 

IVASILI     BLAJENNI- 
2  IBERIAN -CHAPEL  • 
3ZA1KONOSPASSKI  •  MON. 
4'CH.MARYOF -VLADIMIR  • 

5  CH.  TRINITY- 

6  ST-NICHOLAS  - 

7  ASSUMPTION  • 
5STNIKITA  • 

^     9ALL-SAINTS  • 

5    lOSRIETENKA-CH.Gr-MON- 

1 1  CH. NATIVITY- &-FLI  GHT 

12  PETROVSKI;  MQK  •    .  _  _  _ 

13  CH.  OF  COKCEPTION  • 

i5tm;«^'afe#i^i*!A - 


SECULAR  •  BUILDINOS 

A-NEV/  ROV/S- 

B-OLD  GOSTINNOr    DVOR- 

C-EXCHANGE- 

D-ROMANOFF    HOUSE  ► 

e-historical  museum- 
f-vladimir  gate  • 
gtrinity  gate- 
h-riding  school- 
i-university- 
j-rumiantsef  museum- 
k-sukharef  tower- 
lgovernor-generalIs  pal. 
mpolytechnic  museum- 
ntretiakof    gallery- 
o-matviev  memorial- 
p-town  hall 

Q-LOBNO    MIESTO- 
KRUTITSKI  gate: 

^\f      ^^  Simoaov  Monastery 


INDEX 


Adashhf,  50,  52. 

Alarm  Tower,  58. 

Aleviso,  Fioraventi,  44,  148. 

Alexander  Gardens,  15,  153,  224. 

Alexandrina  Palace,  264. 

Alexis,  St,  23,  176,  253^ 

Alexis,  Tsar.  116,  120^  134,  137. 

All  Saints'  Church.  205. 

All  Saints'  Day,  Fire  on,  257. 

Ambrose,  Archbishop,  257. 

Amusements,  237. 

Annunciation,  Cath.  of,  293  ff, 
and  see  Blagovieshchenski 
SoBOR,  Church  of,  149. 

Arbat,  49,  82,  225,  295. 

Archangelski  Sobor,  190^. 

Architecture  Muscovite,  3,  223, 
302;  arches,  168;  Church,  i8t, 
diversity  of,  225 ;  Domestic,  169, 
225,  228 ;  Ecclesiastical,  177 ; 
Origin  of  Muscovite,  168;  of 
"Skorodom,"  220,  301. 

Arms  of  Moscow,  36,  125, 

of  Romanofs,  125. 

of  Russia,  36. 

Axt,  Bookbinders',  192  ;  Byzantine 
examples,  122,  142,  261  ;  church, 
192,  194  ;  decorative,  246  ;  ecclesi- 
astic, 182  ;  frescoes,  192;  gems  and 
jewrellery,  198;  Gothic  influence 
on  Muscovite,  141,  280;  ikon- 
portraiture,  183 ;  metal  work, 
243 ;  pictorial,  221  ;  wall-paint- 
ings, 188,  195. 

ASKOLD  AND  DyR,  5. 

Ascension  Convent,  257,  and  see 

Vossnesenski. 
Assumption.  Cath.  of,  185^;  and 

see  Uspenski  Sobor. 
■  Church  of,  89. 

B 

Baati,  16, 

Balaam,  Metrop.,  253. 

Parmi,  140. 


44. 


Basmanovs,  74,  91,  98. 
Beards  and  Fines,  216. 
Belskis,  81,  91. 
Best,  Harry,  240. 
Bells,  Founding,  159. 

Moscow,  157^ 

Belvederes,  41,  117,  154. 
Bibliography,  307. 
BlELO-GoROD,  40,  82,  207. 
HiELO-OzERSK,  52,  92. 

Black  Clergy,  253. 
Blagovieshchenski     Sobor, 

Blessed  Willie,"  67. 
Blessing  the  Water,  150. 
BoGOLOOBSKi,  Andrew,  15,  87. 
Bogoyavlenni  Monastyr,  27,255. 
Bomel,  Dr  E.,  72,  278. 
Borodino,  Battle  of,  286. 

BOROVITSKI  VOROT,  41,  291,  299. 

Bowes,  Jeremy,  43,  62. 

BoYARDs,    63 ;    customs    of,    227 ; 

duma  of  81, 134. 
Brides  of  the  Tsars,  118,  120. 
Bruce,  Field-Marshal,  210  ;  Tomb 

of,  261. 

Byzantium  and  Moscow,  32. 

Style  of  in,  261. 

Symbols  of,  140. 

C 

Cannon,  96, 160,  300. 
Carriages  and  Harness.  140. 
Caspian,  Jenkinson  on  the,  273. 
Cathedrals,  Location  of,  164 ;  see 

SoBOR  and  Xram. 
Chancellor,  R.,  132,  276. 
Chani-Bek,  253. 
Chapel  of  St  Dmitri,  189. 

St  Gabriel,  196. 

St  George,  196. 

Sts.  Peter  and  Paul,  189. 

St  Samon,  197. 

see  also  Church. 
Characteristics  of  boyards,  100 

"5.  237. 
Ivan  IV.,  78. 


•■:!^:fea.# 


Characteristics  of  Peter  I.,  206. 

Moscow,  T,  141,  301. 

Moscow  Citizens,  237. 

Moscow  Princes,  10.  47. 

Charm  of  Moscow,  225,  252. 
Chasovia,  see  Chapels. 
Chastok,  245. 
Chemiaki,  28,  31,  145. 
Chibanov,  53. 

Christianity  in  Russia,  3,  6.  12. 
^86-95.174^  ^' 

Chudov  Monastyr,  92,  253^. 
Church,  Russian.  172^;  feasts  of, 
263.  and  Tsar,   55,  69,  116,  215; 
and  Western  Church,  32,  95;  saves 
Moscow,  23,  101. 
Church  of  St  Ambrose,  266. 

St  Balaam,  266. 

St  Catherine,  259. 

Sts  Constantine  and  Helen, 


174 


—  St  (ieorge,  259. 

—  St  James,  266. 

—  St  Jehosaphat,  266. 

—  St  John  the  Baptist,  130, 148. 

—  St  Lazarus,  41,  45,  127. 

—  St  Nikanor,  266. 
St  Nikolas,  209. 


-  St  Prokhor,  266. 
St  Saviour's,  161. 


the  Apostles.  188. 

Nativity  and  Flight,  127. 

OurSaviouronHigh,i28.i6i. 

Vasili  Blajenni,  47.  65,  179. 

Churches  of  the  Bielo-Gorod,  205, 

209,  225, 

•  Kitai-Gorod,  204. 

Kremlin,  185, 

Palace  127^ 

Suburbs,  246,  249,  307. 

"  Zemlianni-Gorod,    181, 

225. 


209, 


Citizens  and  Tsar,  34,  54. 
City  of  Churches,  138. 
Constantinople,  sec  Byzantium 
Convent,  Ascension,  257. 

Conception,  260. 

Nftivity,  251. 

Nikitski,  224. 

Novo  Devichi,  265. 

Strastnoi  (Passion),  260,  301. 

Zachatievski,  260. 

Convent-life,  258,  269. 
Cossacks,  91,  263. 
Crimean  War  and  English  in  Mos- 
cow, 282. 

3  10 


Index 


Cross,  Pre-Christian,   7;   Russian, 

182,  196. 
Cruelties,  33,  49^  150,  212,  215, 

232,  240,  246,  see  also   Ivan    IV. 

and  Peter  I. 
Customs,    of    early     Slavs,  7 ;    of 

Mediaeval  Moscow,  132;  curious, 

248,  265. 


Daniel  Mikhailovich,  17. 
Danilovski  Monastyr,  17,  264. 
Delagardie,  General,  loo. 
Dissent  and  Dissenters,  202,  204  y^ 
Diversity  of  Moscow,  225. 
Dmitri  Donskoi.  23,  139^ 

"  first  false,'  91^ 

Ivanovich,  51,  85. 

"second  false,"  loi,  103, 107. 

of  the  *'  terrible  eyes,"  19. 

Dogma  and  Ritual,  177,  200. 
DoLGORUKi,  family,  15,  118. 

un,  12. 
Dom  Chukina,  223. 

DoM  ROMANOVVKH,   Io8. 

■  Usui'ov,  219 

Domostroi,  50,  235. 
Don  Cossacks,  91,  los. 
Donskoi  Monastyr,  82,  263. 
Drinking  habits,  235-236. 

DUKHOBORTSI,  203. 

Duma  of  the  boyards,  134. 


E 


Ediger,  27. 

English    in   Moscow,   54,   58,   62, 

210,  270^ 
Epiphany,  255,  and  see  Bogoyav- 

LENNI. 

Etiquette,  Muscovite,  43,  97. 
Eudoxia,  (Donskoi),  258. 

Striechnev,  119. 

Lapunov,  216 

Euphrosina,  258. 
Express  trains,  303. 


F 


Fairs,  38,  238. 
Famine,  88,  106. 
FioRAVENTi,  Aieviso,  44,  148. 


Index 


Fire,  The  great,  290^ 

Fires  in  Moscow,  16,  23,  25.  49,  50, 

104,  227. 
Florence,  Council  of,  32. 
Florovski,  7'.  Spasski  Vorot, 
Food  of  Muscovites,  234,  305. 
Foreigners  in  Moscow,  23,  33,  52, 

54.  58,  62,  64,  73,  99,  139,  274^ 

295- 
Foundling  Hospital,  269. 
French  cannon  captured,  160,  297,  \ 
Invasion,  284^;  settlers,  295.  i 

G  j 

Gaden,  Dr,  212. 
Galitzin,  Kniaz,  145. 
Galloway.  Chris.,  157,  280. 
Gates,  see  Vorot. 
George,  Prince.  17. 

St.  125,  259. 

Glinski,  Helena,  38,  47. 

Gluiski,  49,  71. 

GoDUNOV,  Boris,  73,  80^,  85. 

Theodore,  92. 

Golden  Gates,  133. 

Hall,  131. 

Horde,  see  Tartars. 

Palace,  82,  128. 

Lesser,  82,  112,  127. 


see 


Iberian    Chapel,     143,    and 

Vosskresenski  Vorot. 
Igor,  5. 

Ikonostas,  129,  187,  191.  254, 
Ikons,  129. 

in  reliez'O,  184. 

■ miraculous,  257,  259,  288. 

"  Nerukotvorenni,"    182 

201,  262. 

"  Not    made    with  hands," 

i82_^  201. 

private  and  personal,  245. 


^f; 


i 


*'  Good  Companions,"  26. 
Gordon,  Patrick,  281. 

Alexander,  282. 

GosTiNNoi  DvoR,  293. 
Granovitaia  Palata.  38,  43,  124, 

Greeting,  Manner  of,  242.  244. 
Griffins,  Heraldic,  125. 

H 

Hamilton,  Miss,  278. 

Hekberstein,  43,  231. 

Hkrmogen,  Patriarch,  103. 

Historical  Museum,  6,  178. 

"  Holy  Bread,"  255,  260. 

Coat,  189. 

Corridor,  131. 

Moscow,  205. 

Vestments,  165. 

Horsey,  Jerom,  47,  58,  64,  71,  79, 
85,  88.  274. 

' Adventures  of,  276^ 

Hotels,  304. 

Houses,  early  dwellings,  7  ;  in 
Skorodom,  223  ;  of  Russia  Com- 
pany, 277,  see  also  Dom. 


remarkable,  196. 

trimorphic,  254,  257. 

Varieties  of,  183. 

Virgin  of  Pechersk,  196. 

■  Virgin  of  Vladimir,  187,  257. 

■  Wonder-working,  259. 

Ilyinka.  Vorot,  39. 

Irene,  Princess,  80-82,  87. 

Ivan  I.,  21  ^ 

Ivan  II.,  23. 
Ivan  III.,  32-36. 

Ivan  IV.,  47  et  seq.,  anecdotes  of. 
53.  61  /^;  atrocities  of,  49^,  S7j/- 
241  ;  tricks  of,  53,  69;  victims  of, 
76  ;  wives,  77  ;  wizards,  77. 
Ivan  V.,  241. 

Ivan  '*  Groznoi"  7/.  Ivan  IV. 
Ivan  the  idiot,  68. 
Ivan  Kalita  v.  Ivan  I. 
Ivan  Krestitel  7>.  St  John  the 

Baptist. 
Ivan  •'  the  Terrible  "  v.  Ivan  IV. 
Ivan  Veliki,  88,  155. 


j  Jenkinson,  Anthony,  272. 

I  Jerusalem  Gate,  151. 

j  Jitny  Dvor,  149. 

I  John  v.  Ivan. 

I  John  the  Baptist,  22,  128. 


Kammer    College    Rampart,    209. 

307- 
Karamzin,  145. 
Kazak  7'.  Cossack, 
Kazan,  32..38,  51- 

Virgin  of,  259. 

Kazi-Ghiree.  Khan,  82,  88. 
Khingiz,  Khan,  16,  25. 

3^1 


Index 


Khlysti,  203. 
Kholmogori,  271. 
Kief,  5,  9,  22,  253. 
KiTAi-GoRou,  38,  82, 104,  147,  205, 
238,  277,  301. 

KONTCHAKA,  19. 

KouRBSKi,  Prince,  53. 
Krasno:  Kriltso,  126,  164. 

Ploshchad,  no,  238. 

Vorot,  219. 

Ugol,  132. 

Kremlin,  13,  22,  40  ;  derivation  of, 
22;  dwellings  in,  40;  sights  of, 
147  ^;    view   of,    13 ;    walls,    23, 

„i49- 

Krim-Tartars,  82. 

Krimski-Brode,  265. 

Krimski-val,  265. 

Krutitski  Vorot,  122,  142. 

kulikovo,  139. 

Kijtaifa,  154. 

KuTCHKO,  Stephen,  12. 

Kuznetsk  I  Most,  208. 


Latin  in  Moscow,  145. 
Lazarus,    Church    of   St,   41,   45, 
127. 

Le  Bruyn,  232. 

Legal  Procedure,  239. 

Libraries,  257. 

"Life  for  the  Tsar,"  no. 

Lithuania,  52,  76,  82. 

LoBNCE  Mesto,  93, 152,  251. 


M 


Mahommedans  and  Muscovites, 
17,  23,  28,  34,  38,  64,  182,  265 

Maiden's  Field,  265,  and  see  Novo 
Devichi. 

Mamai,  Khan,  23^ 

Marina-Roshcha,  209. 

Marosseika,  2i8. 

Marriage  customs,  232,  241,  250. 

Mary  of  Vladimir,  187,  257. 

Church  of,  204.  ' 

Matvievs,  121,  130.  I 

MeDICH,  T47.  I 

MlASCHANSKA,  209. 

Michael,  Tsar,  109, 111^ 
Milosavskis,  120,  259. 
MiNiN,  Cosma,  106,  114. 
Mniszek,  Maria,  97,  100,  113,  258. 


Monasteries,  early,  27  ;  existing, 
253^;  seeaXso  Convents. 

Monks  and  Monasticism,  253^ 

Mordva,  249. 

MoRozoF,  Boyard,  73. 

Boyarina.  202,  222. 

Moscow,  Arms  of.  36;  charm  of, 
2,  226,  251  ;  derivation  of  name, 
II  ;  fires  in,  16,  23,  25,  49,  104, 
227  :  the  golden,  141  ;  looted  by 
the  French,  293  ;  sieges  of,  25.  27, 
91,  105,  152  ;  unconventionality 
of,  2  ;  views  in,  i,  251 ;  winter  in, 
226. 

MOSHI,  177,  255. 

Moskva  river,  100,  150,  153,  264. 

Most  (Bridge),  Kuznetski,  208; 
Kammeni,305;  Krasnae  Kholmski, 
262 ;  Krimski.  265. 

MSTISLAVSKIS,  82,  01. 

Muscovy  and  Britain,  73,  270, 

Lithuania,  37. 

Livonia,  33. 

Poland,  81^  132. 

Tartary,  23^  132. 

Muscovites  of  British  descent,  283. 

allied  with  Tartars,  21. 

Museums,  220. 

Mystery  Plays,  142. 


N 

Napoleon,  124,  -i^ff. 
Naryshkin,  Family  of,  121. 
Natalia,  Tsaritsa,  121,  130. 
Nativity,  see  Rojdestva,  i8i. 

Church  of  181. 

Convent  of,  251. 

Neglinnaia,  15,  49,  153. 
New  Rows,  238. 
Nicholas,  patron  saint,  184. 

of  Galstun,  157. 

Stylite,  218. 

Nijni-Novgorod,  38,  307. 
Nikita,  Saint,  224. 

the  preacher,  203. 

"  Romanof,  277. 

Nikolskaya,  153. 

Nikolski  Vorot,  24,  153,  297. 

Nikon,  177,  201. 

Nobles,  Muscovite,  42,  81,  87,  114. 

Novgorod  the  Great,  5,  38,  57. 

Novi  Riadi,  238. 

Novo  Devichi  Convent,  87,  265. 

Novo-Spasski  Monastvr,  262. 


Index 


Oddities,  io8,  .^45. 

"Old  Believers,"  203. 

Oleg,  5. 

Olga,  6. 

Opritchniks,  56,  59^ 

Orthodoxy  and  Dissent,  95,  20a, 

204, 
Orujenia  Palata,  139. 
osliabia,  24. 
OsMAN  and  Ahmed,  13. 
ostankina,  209. 
Otrepief,  92. 
"  Our  Saviour  on   High,"  Ch.   of, 

128,  161,  280. 


Pageantry,  Church,  243. 

State,  123,  137,  243. 

Palace,  Chequered,  38. 

Golden,  82,  128. 

Granovitaia,  43,  124,  131. 

Great,  124. 

Irene's,  80-82,  87. 

Lesser  Golden,  127. 

Palaces,  early,  40  ;  site  of,  124. 
Paleologus,  Thomas,  32. 

Sophia,  33,  128,  232. 

Panagies,  257. 

Passport,  304. 

"  to  St  Nicholas,"  246. 

Patriarchs,  Passage  of  the,  127. 

Sacristy  of,  197. 

86,  96,  106,  i-jiff,  215. 

Patkiarshia  Riznitsa,  197^ 
Pecherski,  165,  253. 
Peresvet,  24. 

Peter  L,  hi,  121,  206,  209,^  215. 
Petrovski  Monastery,  250. 

Palace,  301,  306. 

Razoomovski,  209. 

Philaret,  Patriarch,  109,  1x6. 
Philip,  Metropolitan,  55. 

Church  of,  197. 

Plague  Riots,  257. 
Plate,  140. 

Pleasure  Palace,  154,  166. 
PojARSKi,  Prince,  107,  114. 
Poland  and  Muscovy,  81,  132. 
Poles  in  Moscow,  loi. 
Polish  Invasion,  99,^ 
Potieshni  Dvorets,  154,  166. 
Prince  and  Peasant,  107,  114. 


Processions,  126,  243^. 
Proverbs,  Muscovite,  216. 
Prud,  Chisty,  12,  251. 

' —  Krasnoe,  306. 

Lizin,  261. 

Public  Buildings,  224. 
Clocks,  195. 


Quaint  survivals,  244^,  249,  276. 
Queen  Elizabeth,  77,  85. 

R 

Ramparts,  Kitai-Gorod,  38,  238. 

Kremlin,  148  ;  town,  209,  306. 

"  Red,"  sec  Krasnce. 

Redeemer    Gate,    181 ;    and    see 

Spasski  Vorot. 
Regalia,  140. 
Relics,  189,  192,  196,  255,  and  sec 

MOSHI. 

Restaurants,  252,  304. 

Riding-School,  224! 

Rites,  Funeral,  246  ;  Marriage,  38, 

77i  250. 
Ritual  of  Russian   Church,    184, 

199. 
Rojdestva,  181,  251. 
Roman  Church  and  Orthodoxy,  86, 

95- 
Romanof,  Anastasia,  49,  109. 
Dynasty,   logj^f ;  House.  108, 

228.     See  also  Alexis,   Peter. 

Philaret,  etc. 
Rostopchin,  Count,  287. 
"Royal  Doors,"  180,  197. 
RuFFO,  Marco,  131. 
Rumiantsev  Museums,  220. 
Rurik,  5. 
Russia  Company,  271^ 


Sacristy  of  the  Patriarchs,  197. 

Saints,  Russian,  184,^ 

St  Saviour's,  see  Spass  na  Boru, 

Xram,  etc. 
Sakkos,  256. 
Sanctuary,  188. 
Scandinavian  influence,  8. 
ScHLiTTE,  John,  64. 
Schools  in  Moscow,  123,  205,  210, 

257. 

3'3 


r, 


.■Sfefc* 


Index 


Scots  in  Moscow,  275,  281. 

Scythians,  5,  294. 

Semiradski's  Pictures,  7. 

Serfdom,  86. 

Sergius,  Saint,  175. 

Servants'  etiquette,  238. 

Shalkan,  277. 
Shein,  Captain,  105. 

Shooiski,   family,  48,  81  ;    Vasili, 

95^;  Michael,  99. 
Shrines,  256. 
Simeon  Bekbulatov,  69,  262. 

The  Proud,  22. 

SiMONOv  Monastyr,  ■idoff. 
Skofin,  Shooiski,  99,  192. 
Skoptsi,  203. 
Skorodom,  ^oi. 
Skutarov,  Maluta,  56,  72. 
Slavery,  265. 
Slavs,  Early,  5. 
Smolensk,  ioi,  105 
Sneguirev,  151,  188. 
Sobornia  Ploshchad,  163. 

SOLAKIUS,  p.  A.,  151. 
SOLTIKOVS.  118,  241. 

Sophia,  Paleologus.  32,  128. 

Tsarevna,  145,  211^^  255. 

Sorcery  in  Moscow,  77,  i2j,  247. 
Sparrow  Hills,  i,  38,  42,  50,  251, 

305. 
Spass  na  Boru,  15,  22,  26,  29, 124, 

196. 
Spasski  Vorot,  24,  58,  151,  279. 
Srietenka  (Meeting)  ;  street,  209 

Monastyr,  208. 

*'  Standards,"  Army,  140  ;  church, 

243- 
Stenki-Razin,  145. 
Streltsi,  152,  207,211-215. 
Striechnev,  family  of,  120. 
Stoves,  95,  128,  230. 

SUKHAREV  BaSHNIA,  2o8,  251. 
SUSSANIN,  110. 
SWEEDES,   113. 

Sylvester,  50. 

Symbols,  35,  36,  140;  Cross,  182; 

George  and    Dragon,   36 ;     Two 

Headed  Eagle,  35. 


Tainitski  Gate,  150. 
Taking  the  Veil,  38,  266. 
Tamerlane,  25. 

Tartars,  allied  with  Muscovites, 
21 ;    cause  of  the  invasions,   16 ; 


defeats    of,    23.    32,    35 ;    insult, 

Ivan  Vasili,    ^8  ;   Ivan   IV.,  64; 

invasions,  9,  16,  25,  26,  34,  38,  63, 

82. 
Taylor.  John,  166,  280. 
Tea,  235,  305. 
Tekem,  41,  112,  117,  126;  Life  in, 

Theodore  I.,  80  jff". 

II.,  123^ 

Godunov,  92  ff". 

• Romanof,  123,  128. 

St,  259. 

1  hrones,  State,  140  ;  church.  189. 
Throngs,  181. 
Thurifeks,  129. 
Tokhta,  19. 
Tokhtamysh,  Khan,  25. 
Tomb  of  Eudoxia,  Tsaritsa,  266. 

of  Dmitri,  191. 

Ivan  IV.,  192. 

Simeon,  262. 

Sophia,  Tsarevna,  266. 

Tombs   of  boyards,    263  ;  of  Mat- 
yievs,  219;  of  Romanofs,  263;  of 
Tsars,  191  ;  of  Tsaritsas,   238  ;  of 
Varsgers,  191 
*'  Tongues,"  216. 

Torture,  150,  239  ;  7'.  Cruelties. 
Tower,  set  also  Bashnia. 

Alarm,  58. 

Chastok,  245. 

of  Constantine,  150. 

Ivan  Veliki,  88,  155. 

Kutaifa,  154. 

Philaret,  156. 

Sukh&rev,  208. 

Traitors',  150.    • 

Tsaritsa's,  150. 

— Watch,  245. 

Traders,  Muscovite,  237. 
"Tranquil"  Tsar,  145. 
Treasury,  139  ;  and  see  Orujenia 

Pa  lata. 
Treasury,  Churches,  used  as,  41 
Tretiakov  Art  Gallery,  221. 
Trial  by  Combat,  240. 
Trinity  Church,  154,  294. 
Triumfalnia,  223. 
Troitsa  Monastery,  12,   24,  27, 

31,  101. 
Troitski  Vorot,  154,  291. 
turberville,  232. 
Tver  and  Moscow,  i8,  21,  57. 
"  Twenty  Nations,"  Invasion  of, 
a86^ 


\.. 


Index 


u 


Uglitch,  21,  8s,  97. 

Ugol,  Krasnoe,  132. 

Universities,  224. 

Urusov,  Princess,  202. 

UsBEK,  Khan,  22. 

Uspenski  Sobor,  22,  117,  13c,  158, 

UsuFov  House,  219. 


Val,  Krimski,  265. 

Zemlianni,  289. 

Varcegers,  5. 

Varvarka,  228. 

Vorot,  238. 

Vasili  I.,  26. 

Vasili  II.,  28,  31 

Vasili  III.,  37. 

Vasili  Blajenni,  67, 

Ch.  of,  47, 65,  67,  179. 

Vasili  the  Blind, 26;  "the squint- 
eyed,"  28. 

Vassian,  Archbishop,  34,  52. 

Vehicles,  Primitive,  247. 

Vereshchagin,  221. 

Vekkhospasski  Chi'rch,  128,  161, 
280. 

Vestments,  Sacerdotal,  198. 

Views  of  Moscow,  251. 

Virgin  of  Jerusalem,  187. 

of  Kazan,  205. 

ofPechersk,  165. 

of  Smolensk,  141,  244. 

of  Vladimir,  187^ 


139; 


the 


Vissotski,  251 
Vladimir,   the  Great,  6, 
Brave,  28  ;  Town  of,  23, 
Vladimirski  Vorot,  205. 
Vladislas,  Tsar,  101. 
Voievodes,  35,  42,  63. 
Vorot,  or  Gate, 

Arbatski,  82. 

Borovitski,  41,  149,  291,  299 

Florovski,  24, 151. 

Ilyinski,  39. 

Jerusalem,  151. 

KrasncE,  219. 

Krutitski,  122,  142. 

Nikolski,  24,  153,  297. 

Prechistenski,  41,  149,  291. 

"Red."  219. 


Vorot  Redeemer,  24,  58,  151. 

Spasski,  58,  151. 

Sukharev,  208. 

'  Tainitski,  150. 

Troitski,  154. 

Varvarka,  238. 

Vladimirski,  205,  207. 

Vosskresenski,  141. 

Vosskrksenski  Vorot,  141^,  201, 

244. 
vossnesenski      monastyr,      44, 

vsevolojskis,  120. 
Vsevoloshski,  28. 

W 

Walls  of  Bielo-Gorod,  82. 

of  Kitai-Gorod,  38,  238. 

of  Kremlin,  23,  148. 

of  Zemlianni-Gorod,  209. 

Watch  Towers,  245. 

Weapons,  Muscovite,  139. 

Winter  in  Moscow,  226. 

Wives  of  Ivan  IV.,  77. 

of  Peter  I.,  213,  216. 

Wizards,  77,  121. 

Women  in  Mediaeval  Moscow,  8, 
33,  48,61,62,  72,  81,  86,  118,  121, 
137,  213,  216,  231  ff^  269,  278. 


Xenia,  Princess,  94. 
Xram,  298,  299. 


Yauza,  249. 
Yermak,  63,  81. 
Yuri  Dmitrovich,  28. 
— — —  Dolgoruki,  28,  36. 


Zabielin's  private  life  of  Tsars,  134. 
Zachatievski,  260. 
Za-ikono-spasski  Monastyr,  205. 
Zamoskvoretski,  264,  293. 
Zapieha,  101. 
Zaporogians,  91  ff^. 
Zariadi,  205. 
Zarutski,  113. 
Zemlianni  Gorod,  209. 
Zlatoustinski,  219. 
Znamia,  243. 


315 


rRINTF.D    BY 

TURNBULL  AND   SPEARS, 

EDrNBURCU 


f 


^;,!^jBti»*..  »g,aWKi.|irji)ip 


"iiitiiS^'/r^Ti-i  &  TE.-' 


■BrThis   book   is   due   tr,o   weeks    from    the    last  date    f 
1    stamped   below,  emd    if   not   returned    or  j.iiiiiiiiiiipi  m i|    at   or     1 
1    before  that  time  a  fine  of  five  cents  a  day  will  be  incurred,     m 

jBt    ?■  •'?H 

- 

» 

l5Ki:\TAN<»S. 
Boikscllers  i"t  Statiimers, 
37,  Avenue  de  ropdra, 


COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARIES 


1010677194 


.^^^V^"^^ 


I 


-.3  192$ 


i*;j 


K 

il=^ 


I.     ^ 

K 
I 


■f::.  ur^- 


:  *■  '.■':'' 


:_i:i.  li:f-i; 


i^:- 


>  t  '-s 


«  J  S 


•frv-ti.ff  ;?^---;v::>f; 


'•••H.;r4-.i 

■»-..r.    i?    -; 


i;.:f 


' " 


■/:-j  •> 


•^^<::k  • 


J.:V?.k!i>  t 


^y -f  :=!:  j-.it. 


nf^: 


,2  4-v^!: 


;:ry 


F  2^. 


•':    'j:.r-t.^j. 


■■'*••:■»; 


'r:fc"'?.**i:'ti> 


■S'*-^  -. 


1j.=::;.r  $-..>:: 


»  --.;-^r 


--•il- 


It- 


•-T*-' 


r-  IJJ  1 


_r  i*.3  ■*■_  - 


-=^--«  '«r 


i'':*^:'-:^: 


-T:-r- 


/.  ;rF 


■jy    «.3-",1J. 


■»■'?■ 


•♦"■•rS'ii-ii"''    i-^ 


;.  -n  ■'/"    ».■  1 


::-rj;-. 


•>  wr  -it; 


.-  f'.' 


i'.  nt  .•'.?"% -J--'  -~ 


-.1  .j-i^SJiJ     r. 


■*i. 


:  "HA] 


,.(.-:  r-.Si- 


l^**: 


"  1'- >  1.  '.:''  '■*•=?  '.  "t  V  -?.' 


.:r'Jl-'7: 


■5:^1i::HtV: 


:._J  .-Jri 


»^=ri;^>-i-: 


.A: 


»?  -*~  -.  .•  r. ; 


r.'C-ri^-aj;: 


;» /»■. 


-.rs'.r..;''- 


rr:;.    .-^A-     -v.^ 


•,';3.i. 


W^-? 


V:^,?t?'--«'-' 


^T^:: 


i-^  -  l---^ 


-,-:^-" 


;; :  r  J 


i?:-^:-:=t;:- 


'ix.n; 


?^V:;rf. 


»  C-..-J. 


jiy. 


T -.:.■-»■• 


rff--' 


:-:•«,:..-;«.■.•.■' "3;!  J*^ 


.•:!ti-; 


Liti".: 


K-n^'^.i- 


•!/  =•.■i-^r.•;^•J^• 


.H<  ' 


^^«:fe4B*^'.r?r-':.^ 


-i  bhf^  • 


'^m-'i 


.  - :  9=".  .-fi 


■  -?::^?-i:. 


%n?.:.nv-.r..r'-^-:i!^ 


■■§."r.iJi..-ri;-,5-s- 


"ll^i-irs' 


*  J* ,.   .1  n*^  . 


.-.:■-•  :> 


E.-^i 


i^-V-iy;  «••;■.'.•"  ■' 


vi^ir,,:-^ 


V-  •.t^+~  h 


le-'-''^. 


»  •■?.•: 


■A    ■»  .-?■   ; 


■■i  r  .%. 


Jt.-X' 


:i-  •S- 


!;C.v;.i:-. 


-■5  Ml"', 


•".•Tj^'/r.*  •  ^ ' 

J 1  *-r^i.  ^ 


.■&4:i- 


^*r^-t!i>* 


.istx. 


•>      "•,•.%■.■■  V...-    rar,. 


•i'-r- 


/fr 


'!>*»: 


:-rf:-  J' 


*4--: 


■•ii.f 


..» 


, .••r..>. -I    -. 


M-'-n*-!!. 


•?: 


cbin  t^.jtr  1 


•  ^  ■!-••.?■ 


JV 


.  -:•  i-. 


:  =  .-■  ^l  r 


•~Si3r?^-3."-r' 


r  .-•-»■»•:."*! 


■■•>is: 


;*;•••?; 


i-:-^;;. 

^^-^i:.^; 


j-a.r- .-:«.-■».. 


-ti^*. 


'y^H.:"^^\-^ 


;r._i4r.t  ^«;-.;r 


^- V 


»-.-'-7y-— :~H"2 


-  ^ 


;i>* 


t;- 


:i\i-' 


AX      ft-    *  '-j','-.'^ 


-n*|- 


i^;i+:.'-r?-'*#^ 


'rf.-    fc' 


-«.:--r! 


*^t:';'r.- 


r#   -t-*' 


itT'^rr^.'.-r.-t 


a'.'-'t;."' 


:  -    -.  ...■.■■""■,"-1.    :-.,:■"•"« 


■»t.  -  '. 


=K  o?'r^ 


v^->;3i'; 


"•.-cCt  .c-JJ--  it^.-ar-Ti 


-:■?  c: 


■-i^ J  «:-.'• 


'•i:.-"'5' 


;;r"---:-i-:,---J:t-':  •* 


•^'¥'^^^i 


ii"-  .£i:-.S5i  i; 


:2,-g. 


vPr-. 


:^i..  vv 


L  ■  .  *:  r^ 


-  «.»"^" 


?.-..*'.  ■'. 


•■:::«:.-»:•;-•  :^ii- 


-&^i"« 


iii:;v=;.'ii.- 


^J?-''C 


^.:i 


--««i-.i^--i-".r; 


••Ir.^r' 


i:vV-C.  ; 


■iu 


t;»iC' 


-•:.*|1*'v.' 


.-1''?^ 


S.A^^LS-i.  • 


•  I  -SB    ■«   .*  •^. 


*:' 


i£  f. 


It* 


^STtr  ■■■.'-;.■, 


*S^ 


■^:'5-'^*:^'ii 


f.^,-.;.:J.r-'i'': 


j^r-jiCrfi'it''.  ■  i.}i'.- 


X.-'i_-Js  • 


:3?^^.:-.-i 


■^•.■5^:^^=*-j^:^: 


Ci^-  a: 


rii-*-:t  ,  : 


i:- 

'-■■?'-■ 

'■--•'•  ^.  -^'^ 

r.-v-r  ■  t  .-i 

■  ^■■'Si 

.    -T-EIHS.  ,      . 

i   .i.  r  -r-J 


r  •>;?;«■ - 


■2-"  r.'" 


